Opening New Doors
by IndyGirl89
Summary: A year after the kidnapping of Princess Kirsten, the royal family has settled back into their normal lives. Kirsten is growing into a pretty little girl, and Elsa and Fredrik have been getting to know each other better. Fredrik is soon ready to take a big step in their relationship. But is Elsa ready to put the past behind her and also move forward? (Sequel to "Family Ties")
1. Courtship

**Well, you asked for it and I delivered! After a 2-week break, I present to you the sequel to "Family Ties"! This brings my total of Frozen fanfics up to 5. I'm not sure if you'd actually call it a sequel, but it does take place a year after the events of "Family Ties". And I'll be expanding on Elsa and Fredrik's relationship. :) That's what this story will mostly be about, so I hope it satisfies you "Elsrik" shippers. :) (By the way, thanks to LilyGHall for the clever ship name.) Anyway, hope you enjoy, and as always, please review! DISCLAIMER: I do not own Frozen or any of its characters. Only Kirsten and Fredrik are mine.**

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**Chapter 1: Courtship**

It was a fine, breezy summer day in Arendelle. The sky was a clear, turquoise blue and there wasn't a cloud to be seen. The air was warm and pleasant enough that you no longer needed a cloak, and the streets of the village were packed with people enjoying the beautiful day, whether they were at the market shopping for household essentials or just taking a leisurely stroll in the warm sunshine. Even the princess and her family had been seen earlier that day walking around the castle grounds, talking and laughing and playing with their little daughter, Kirsten, who was now a year old. Only one person had not joined in the festivities.

Elsa was sitting at the desk in her study, poring over sheaf after sheaf of document: trade negotiations, ball invitations, requests for meetings, and other seemingly unimportant messages. Since the announcement of her and Prince Fredrik's courtship a year ago, her workload seemed to have doubled. Most of the messages she had been receiving lately asked about (or, rather, pushed for) an impending engagement. She had sent several carefully-worded messages back that quite clearly stated that due to her current workload, an engagement would not be happening anytime soon, and it was a distraction she couldn't afford right now. As stressed out as she had been lately, she was surprised that the room hadn't frozen solid.

But the truth was, she didn't know if she was ready for an engagement, or marriage, for that matter. True, she had taken a big step forward by accepting Fredrik's proposal of courtship, but she was hesitant to let it go any further, for fear of hurting him. She had always dreamed of sharing a life with someone special, something akin to what Anna and Kristoff shared, but that dream had always been overshadowed by her powers. She didn't think she was capable of loving anyone that way. She had grown very fond of Fredrik in the last year, but did she love him? He did make her feel so comfortable and at ease, something no one had been able to do for years, apart from Anna, of course. Only time would tell.

Elsa was so lost in her thoughts that she almost didn't hear the soft knock on the door. "Come in," she called, and the door opened, revealing Fredrik, smiling and carrying a tray that clinked while he walked. Elsa smiled back as he approached her desk, genuinely happy to see him.

"Hi," he said, setting the tray down on her desk and then leaning in for a kiss. He lingered for a moment before breaking apart. "How are you?" he asked, sitting down across from her.

"Exhausted," Elsa replied. "I've never had so much work."

"You've been shut up in here for most of the past few days," said Fredrik. "I'm starting to miss you." He smiled again.

"I know, I miss you, too," said Elsa, truly meaning it. "But I've just been so busy lately. I don't know if I'll ever catch up."

"Don't worry, you will," said Fredrik, reaching over and squeezing her hand. She just smiled.

"So, what's all on that tray there?" she asked, eyeing it carefully.

"Gerda thought you could use a little snack break, so she whipped up some of your favorite chocolate pastries," Fredrik replied, smiling.

"I love that woman," said Elsa, laughing and taking a pastry. "She knows just what I like. Join me?"

"Love to," said Fredrik, smiling again. "Thought you would never ask."

Elsa swatted him playfully before moving around to the other of the desk and taking the seat next to him. She turned herself sideways and dangled her feet over the arm. She knew it was very un-queen-like, but for once, she didn't care, and besides, no one but Fredrik was there to see her. "You know," she said, taking a bite of her pastry and smiling mischievously at him. "I'm starting to think that you offered to bring the tray up just so you would have a legitimate reason to distract me from my work."

"I would never distract you from your work," said Fredrik, leaning towards her, also smiling.

"Uh-huh, sure you wouldn't," said Elsa, leaning even closer until their foreheads were touching.

"Never," Fredrik whispered, and he kissed her, cupping her face in his hands while she linked hers behind his neck. The chairs soon got in the way, though, so Fredrik picked Elsa up in his arms and sat back down with her in his lap, all the while never breaking contact. Elsa could feel that familiar tingling sensation deep inside her, starting at her toes and slowly working its way up. Her heart was thundering and her breathing was erratic.

They were startled apart by a loud knock on the door. Actually, it wasn't really a knock, more like a slap. Elsa smiled at Fredrik.

"That must be Kirsten," she said, disentangling herself from him and standing up. "She hasn't quite learned how to knock yet." She went over to the door and opened it and, sure enough, there was little Kirsten on the other side, barefoot and wearing a pink sundress. Her light blonde hair wasn't quite long enough to do anything with yet, so it just lay in cute little curls on her neck and forehead.

"Well, look who we have here," said Elsa, smiling and turning back to Fredrik, who she hadn't noticed come to the door with her. "Another surprise visitor. Hello, there, my little sunshine."

"Essa! Essa!" Kirsten cried, reaching for Elsa with her little arms. Anna and Kristoff had taught her to say Elsa's name, but she couldn't quite get the "L" out yet. Elsa laughed, bent down, and scooped her little niece into her arms. Kirsten then planted a big, slobbery baby kiss on Elsa's cheek.

"Thank you," said Elsa, wiping her cheek, but she was still smiling. "Where are your mama and papa?"

"Right here," said Anna, coming around the corner, with Kristoff right behind her. Both looked out of breath.

"What happened to you?" Elsa asked, smirking.

"Well, we took Kirsten out for a long walk in the garden to try to get her tired enough for her nap," Anna began.

"But she managed to get away from us," Kristoff finished.

"So I see," said Elsa, looking down at Kirsten. "How did she know where we were?"

"Oh, she didn't, but you know Kirsten," said Anna, shrugging. "She likes to run through the halls and hit random doors. This time, she just happened to find a room that was occupied."

Elsa blushed and looked back at Fredrik, who just shrugged. It was then that Anna noticed Elsa's slightly disheveled appearance. A few stray strands of hair had fallen out of her braid and her dress looked a little rumpled.

"So, what were you two doing in there?" Anna asked slowly, looking from one to the other of them.

"Just talking," Elsa answered.

"Uh-huh," said Anna, crossing her arms and looking unconvinced.

"Anna, please," said Elsa, guessing where this was going. "Fredrik just came to bring me a snack and to talk. He figured I needed a break. And you know that I've been working a lot lately, so that's all I've been doing, okay?" She knew that Anna knew what she and Fredrik had just been doing, so instead of trying to convince her otherwise, she was sending her a secret message not to tell anyone outside the family.

Anna was still eyeing Elsa suspiciously, but her sister was giving her a very queenly glare, so she just shrugged and said, "Fine. Your business is your business."

"Thank you," said Elsa. "By the way, I think Kirsten's asleep." She looked down at her niece, who, sure enough, was fast asleep in her arms, her thumb in her mouth.

"How do you do it?" Anna demanded.

"Do what?" Elsa asked, confused.

"Get her to fall asleep so quickly and easily," Anna answered. "She's never fallen asleep that quickly for us."

"I have a very soothing voice," said Elsa, smiling. "Here." She held Kirsten out for Anna to take.

"I'll take her," said Kristoff, and Elsa gently handed Kirsten over to her father. "And Fredrik, you and I are going to have a talk later." He smirked knowingly at him.

Fredrik smiled and put up his hands in defeat. "Whatever you say," he said.

Kristoff kissed Anna on the cheek and then disappeared down the hall to the nursery to put Kirsten down for her nap.

"And I'll talk to you later," said Anna, pointing at Elsa and winking. Then she, too, disappeared down the hall after Kristoff.

"What was that all about?" Fredrik asked, coming up behind her and wrapping his arms around her.

"I think I have an idea," said Elsa. "But knowing Anna, it could be anything. Now, if you don't mind, I have to get back to work." She turned around and pecked him on the cheek before ducking out from his embrace and walking back to her desk. Fredrik chuckled to himself. God, how he loved this woman.

* * *

As it turned out, Elsa was finally able to get caught up in her work. She managed to finish by early evening and was able to eat dinner with her family. So that evening found them eating a delicious dinner of roast pork and boiled potatoes. Anna and Elsa, along with Kirsten, who was sitting on her mother's lap, were sitting on one side of the table, and Kristoff and Fredrik were sitting on the other side. They had finished exchanging pleasantries and were now having their own private conversations.

"So," Anna was saying. "Are you going to tell me exactly what happened between you and Fredrik this afternoon?" She smirked.

Elsa tried to ignore it, but it was hard. "Well," she said, taking a sip of wine from her goblet and grimacing; she wasn't much of a drinker. "He said that Gerda had prepared a little snack for me, and I think he offered to bring it to me just so he would have an excuse to see me."

"And?" Anna pressed.

"And what?" Elsa asked, confused.

"Oh, come on, Elsa, something else must have happened," said Anna. "I noticed your dress was all mussed. What else were you two doing in there?" She nudged her sister playfully.

Elsa looked across the table at Kristoff and Fredrik, who were still deep in conversation. "Okay," Elsa sighed, looking back at Anna. "But this stays inside the castle. I really shouldn't be telling you this at all; it is not entirely proper for a woman of my station to discuss her love affairs with anyone. But you're my sister, and I trust you. I know you'll keep this a secret from anyone outside the family."

"I will," said Anna, nodding. "I promise."

"Okay," said Elsa. "This is all I'm saying. Fredrik and I kissed again, only this time, it was a little more passionate."

"You two are getting pretty serious, aren't you?" Anna asked, smiling.

"You could say that," Elsa said slowly, fidgeting with her hands under the table. Thankfully, nothing more than a few small snowflakes escaped, which no one but her saw.

"I do say that," said Anna, setting Kirsten down, who was squirming in her lap. "What are your feelings for him?"

"Excuse me?" said Elsa, narrowing her eyes at her sister.

"You heard me," said Anna, smiling. "What are your feelings for him?"

"I think," said Elsa hesitantly, looking across the table at the men, making sure she wouldn't be overheard. "I think I might love him," she finally whispered.

Anna stifled a squeal behind her hands. "Really? Oh, my sister has finally found someone to love!" And she wrapped Elsa in a tight hug.

Unfortunately, Kristoff had heard Anna's stifled squeal and turned to look at the sisters. "What's going on over there?" he asked, smiling at them.

"Nothing," they said, and then gave themselves away by giggling.

"I think I'll be retiring now," said Anna, picking up Kirsten and standing up. "It's almost Kirsten's bedtime, anyway. Elsa, why don't you come, too? We might need that soothing voice of yours." She stared pointedly at her sister and gave a small wink.

"If you insist," said Elsa, also standing. "Although I don't know why you need me to calm your own baby down." She smiled and Anna playfully hit her on the arm as they disappeared from the hall.

Kristoff smiled and shook his head. "Those two," he said. "You'd never believe that they were separated for thirteen years."

"Kristoff, I want to talk to you about something," said Fredrik seriously, "Well, actually, someone. I didn't want to mention it while Elsa and Anna were here, because I didn't want them to overhear, especially Elsa."

"What is it?" Kristoff asked, also serious. But he thought he knew what was coming, and wasn't disappointed.

"Well, ever since you welcomed me into the family, I've considered you as a friend," said Fredrik, shifting somewhat uncomfortably in his chair. "Anna and Elsa, too. But lately, I've been feeling a little more than friendship with Elsa, if you know what I mean."

"Well, how do you feel when you're around her?" Kristoff asked.

"Well, my heart thunders whenever she looks at me and my throat constricts whenever I try talking to her," Fredrik answered.

"I know exactly what you mean," said Kristoff, smiling and nodding. "I felt the same way about Anna. My friend, you're in love."

"You think so?" Fredrik asked, looking his friend dead in the eyes.

"It couldn't be more apparent," said Kristoff. "I've been through this before, so I recognize all the symptoms."

"I've been thinking about asking her to marry me," said Fredrik quietly.

"Fredrik, do you love Elsa?" Kristoff asked seriously.

"Yes, I think I do," Fredrik answered.

"Then do it," said Kristoff, smiling. "What are you waiting for?"

"Nothing, I guess," said Fredrik, smiling back.

"Then go for it," said Kristoff, clapping him on the shoulder. "A little word of advice, though. Don't tell Elsa what you're planning, or Anna, either, for that matter. She's really close with her sister and a bit of a blabbermouth. But don't be too secretive, or they'll think something's up."

"Okay," said Fredrik, chuckling. "How do you think I should do it?"

"Well, I proposed to Anna at the most unexpected time," Kristoff answered, smiling again.

"When was that?" Fredrik asked.

"At Elsa's twenty-second birthday ball," said Kristoff. "I remember it like it was yesterday. Anna was really mad because I had had a 'secret meeting' with Elsa and she thought that there was something between us. She wouldn't come out of her room for a couple days."

"Really?" said Fredrik. "I can't imagine that. She seems to really love you."

"Well, she does," said Kristoff. "Sometimes, she just goes through these mood swings. I still don't know why she picked me."

"You're sweet, charming, and sensitive," said Fredrik, smiling. "I can tell just by the way you two look at each other. I only hope that Elsa and I will be able to share those same moments together."

"You will," said Kristoff, smirking. "If you ever get around to proposing to her."

"Okay," said Fredrik, still smiling. "I'm going to need some help, though."

"Don't worry, I'm there for you," said Kristoff. "Like I just said, I've been through this before. And I think I know the perfect way to do it."

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**Well, that takes care of chapter one! I'm not sure how long this story will be, but it probably won't be as long as "Family Ties". I guess we'll just see how it goes. :) Again, hope you enjoyed! Another chapter coming soon!**

**EDIT 10/9/15: To my readers: I made a few revisions to this chapter, mostly in terms of sentence structure, rearranging certain sentences so they would flow better. I fixed a couple of grammar mistakes as well.**


	2. A Proposal

**Hey guys, I apologize for the late update. I truly hate leaving you hanging. But I recently got a second job and I'm working all hours of the day and night, so I've been really tired and just didn't have the energy or the inspiration to write. Plus, this chapter was giving me a bit of writer's block. But finally, here it is! Thank you all for the lovely reviews, faves, and follows so far! I truly appreciate your support! Anyway, hope you enjoy, and keep reviewing!**

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**Chapter 2: A Proposal**

Kristoff's idea of the "perfect" proposal turned out to be very simple. He didn't know Elsa as well as Anna, not having lived with her his whole life, but he knew that she would prefer something small and not too extravagant. He decided that the best thing to do would be to have the kitchen staff prepare a small dinner, for just the two of them. Then afterwards, Fredrik would take Elsa for a moonlit stroll out in the grounds. There was a beautiful waterfall with a stone outcropping that overlooked the entire village. In recent months, Kristoff had noticed that Elsa liked to go there to get some peace and quiet. Sometimes, Anna would go with her, but most of the time, she went by herself. So, he supposed that the place held some special meaning for her.

"How do you know about all this?" Fredrik asked him one evening, after Anna and Elsa had gone to bed. They had already finished dinner, but the two of them had stayed behind for a friendly drink and were now each nursing a mug of ale.

"Well, when you've been around royals long enough, you start to learn their habits," said Kristoff, smiling and taking a drink of his ale. "For example, I've only known Anna for a few years, but I know so much about her that I feel like I've known her my whole life. I know her strengths and weaknesses, what makes her laugh, what touches her heart. I love everything about her; her eyes, her hair, her freckles, her feistiness."

"Wow," said Fredrik, letting out a low whistle. "You know a lot about her."

"She's my best friend," said Kristoff, still smiling. "And I'm hers. Well, after her sister, anyway."

"Sounds like you really love her," said Fredrik, smiling.

"More than life itself," said Kristoff. "Granted, I was a little unsure about her at first, but now, I can't imagine life without her."

"That's how I feel about Elsa," said Fredrik, rotating his mug back and forth, making a dull scraping sound on the wooden table. "I hope she feels the same way."

"Well, you'll find that out soon," said Kristoff, smiling again. "Did you get a ring yet?"

"No," said Fredrik, sighing and leaning back in his chair. "And that's the thing that I've been worrying about most. Every ring that I've looked at so far just doesn't seem to fit her. I want to find a ring that's worthy of a queen like her."

"Well, I think that Elsa would want something that's not too flashy or big," said Kristoff thoughtfully. "As regal and elegant as she seems on the outside, she's the kind of person who enjoys the simpler things in life. Oh, and here's a little hint: she loves anything to do with nature. Does that narrow it down for you?" He smirked at Fredrik, who smiled back.

"I think it does," he said.

"Know what you're going to say to her yet?" Kristoff asked, downing the rest of his ale.

Fredrik fell silent. Now that Kristoff had mentioned it, he realized that he had no idea what he going to say to Elsa. He had been so intent on finding the perfect ring for her that he hadn't given it any thought. Plus, he had been so nervous about asking, period, that even if he did have something to say, he was afraid he'd completely forget it out of nerves.

Kristoff noticed his brooding expression and laughed. "I'll take that as a no," he said.

"I'm not sure what I want to say," said Fredrik, still playing with his mug. "I want to be romantic, but I don't want to sound too cheesy, either. Know what I mean?"

"I do," said Kristoff, nodding. "Here's another bit if advice: try to make it somewhat personal. For example, when I proposed to Anna, I mentioned the first time we had met and the moment I first realized that I was falling for her." He paused for dramatic effect.

"When did you?" Fredrik asked, setting his mug down with a clunk.

"Just a few days after we met," Kristoff answered.

"It only took you a few days?" Fredrik asked, surprised. "It took me a whole year."

"Well, I had spent most of those few days with just her, unless you count Olaf and Sven," Kristoff said. "So I got to know her a little bit. But at the time, she was 'engaged' to your brother, so I hid my feelings. When Elsa froze her heart, I did everything in my power to get her back home, risking my life along the way. I knew then that if I cared for her enough, I would have to let her go. I'd take her back to your brother, she'd get her act of true love, and they'd live happily ever after. But when he betrayed her and left her to die, I realized that she was destined to be with me.

"So I went back. I raced across the frozen fjord to get to her, going as fast as I could through the blizzard that Elsa had set off. I faintly heard her calling my name over the howling wind and I started running faster. And then all of a sudden, the blizzard stopped, frozen in midair. I saw Anna just a few yards away, shivering from both the cold and the ice in her heart. I rushed to close the gap between us, but then she turned and went back to her sister, who was sobbing on the ground behind her. Your brother had his sword above his head, ready to strike, but just as he started bringing it down, Anna threw herself between them, freezing solid just before Hans' sword struck her outstretched hand and shattered. I was too late.

"But Anna's act of true love thawed her, and Elsa, finally realizing that love was the key to controlling her powers, brought summer back. Their bond was restored, and I knew that Anna would finally be happy. But a few days later, something happened that would make her even more happy, and make me happy as well.

"She had gotten me a new sled, as my other sled had crashed on our way up the North Mountain. I tried refusing it, but Anna wouldn't have it. She informed me that Elsa had named me the official Arendelle Ice Master and Deliverer. I was so thrilled that I spun her around and kissed her. And that was how we realized our feelings for each other."

Silence followed Kristoff's story, the only sound being the crackling of the fire somewhere behind them.

"Wow," said Fredrik finally, letting out a breath. "I didn't know about any of that. Of course, I knew about Elsa's story, but I didn't know yours. That's – wow," he said again.

"Yeah," said Kristoff, chuckling softly. "After all those events, I now feel like I'm the luckiest man in the world."

"Well, that might change when I ask Elsa to marry me," said Fredrik, grinning.

"You mean _if _you ask her to marry you," said Kristoff, nudging him. "You have yet to get a ring and figure out what to say to her."

"Well, thanks to you, I think I've got a pretty good idea," said Fredrik, winking at him.

* * *

Finally, the day came when Fredrik decided that he was ready to propose to Elsa. He had finally managed to find the perfect ring, a thin band of white gold set with an ice blue diamond. He had been carrying it around in his pocket for the last few days, practicing what he was going to say to Elsa when the moment came. Just the day before, he had come up with the perfect little speech. He only hoped he wouldn't become a bundle of nerves and forget it. He really cared for Elsa and wanted everything to be perfect.

He had spoken with the kitchen staff early that day and had asked them what Elsa's favorite foods were. Turned they were the same as Anna's: soup, roast, and ice cream. So he asked them to prepare French onion soup and roast lamb, with ice cream for dessert. As he had found out that she didn't like wine (or any alcohol, for that matter), he had requested a bottle of sweet cider.

Now, the big problem was getting Elsa downstairs to the family's small, private dining room without her suspecting anything. He decided the easiest way was to have one of the servants give Elsa a message, saying that Prince Fredrik requested a private dinner with her. He entrusted the message to Gerda, who had been close with the royal family for many years. The older agreed to deliver the message, and went to find Elsa, who was sitting at her desk in her study, signing some papers. Anna was lounging in a chair nearby, chattering away about Kirsten's latest antics.

"She's getting so active, it's hard to keep up with her," Gerda heard through the door as she approached. "Why, just this morning—" She looked up as Gerda knocked and entered the room.

"Pardon the interruption, Your Majesty," said Gerda, curtsying. "But I have a message from Prince Fredrik."

"A message from Prince Fredrik?" Elsa repeated, standing up. She looked at Anna, who just shrugged.

"Yes, Your Majesty," Gerda confirmed. "He requests your presence at dinner this evening."

Something clicked in Elsa's mind, and she turned startled eyes to Anna, who was grinning. She turned back to Gerda. "What time?" she asked, trying to keep her voice steady.

"7:00, Your Majesty, in the private dining room," Gerda replied.

Elsa looked at the clock on the mantle. It was almost three. She looked at Anna again, who smiled encouragingly and nodded. She smiled back and returned her gaze to Gerda. "Tell him that I accept," she said.

"Yes, Your Majesty," said Gerda. She curtsied again and left, closing the door behind her.

Elsa turned back to her sister, who was almost quivering with excitement. "Oh, Elsa!" she cried, flinging her arms around her and hugging her tight. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"I don't know," said Elsa. "Am I?

"I think he's going to propose!" Anna said, jumping up and down.

"And what makes you think that?" said Elsa, crossing her arms in front of her, but she could feel a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

"Well, why else would he ask to have dinner with just you?" Anna said, nudging her playfully.

"I don't know," Elsa sighed. "Maybe you're right."

"I know I'm right," said Anna, and she grabbed her sister's hand. "Now come on. Let's go get you ready for tonight."

* * *

At five minutes to seven, Fredrik was waiting outside the doors to the family's private dining room, pacing anxiously. He had never been so nervous in his life. He hoped with all his might that he wouldn't forget the little speech he had prepared. He had been practicing it day and night, making sure he had it perfect. He didn't want to miss a single word.

Soon, he heard shuffling footsteps and looked up to see Anna running down the stairs toward him, grinning from ear to ear.

"Wait until you see her," she panted, trying to catch her breath. "She looks amazing."

Someone from above them cleared her throat. Fredrik looked up and saw Elsa standing in the middle of the stairs, smiling a little nervously. She was wearing a long-sleeved, off-the-shoulder dress of deep indigo with matching shoes. Despite Elsa's many protests, Anna had insisted she wear her hair loose, at least this once. It hung in soft curls down to her waist. For makeup, she had deep pink lipstick and purplish eye shadow that matched her dress. She had never looked more beautiful. He was so taken by her appearance that he had almost forgotten what was to come next. He remembered when Elsa came up to him.

"Hi," she said quietly, smiling at him.

"Hi," he said, smiling back. "You look beautiful."

"Thank you," she said, smoothing a crease in her dress.

"Shall we?" he said, offering his arm. Elsa took it and he walked her in. She looked back at Anna and smiled. Anna smiled back and mouthed "Tell me what happens" before running back upstairs.

When they walked into the dining room, the delicious smells of French onion soup and roast lamb hit Elsa's nose.

"I had a special meal prepared for us this evening," Fredrik said, smiling again and pulling out a chair for her.

"How did you know this was my favorite meal?" Elsa asked, narrowing her eyes, but her mouth held the ghost of a smile.

"Intuition, my dear," said Fredrik, kissing her cheek before taking a seat across from her.

The next hour passed in pleasurable conversation. Elsa asked Fredrik how he liked Arendelle, and he said that he liked how beautiful everything was, the castle, the countryside, and especially the people. This made Elsa blush and she smiled awkwardly.

After a delicious dessert of homemade vanilla ice cream with chocolate sauce, Fredrik took Elsa on a walk through the grounds in the growing twilight. They walked through the gardens and then carefully climbed up to Elsa's favorite spot by the waterfall, Fredrik helping her when she stumbled. They found an outcropping large enough to sit on and dangled their feet over the edge. Their fingers were entwined and Elsa had rested her head on Fredrik's shoulder. For a few moments, all that could be heard was the rushing of water just below them.

"Elsa?" Fredrik said quietly, still looking out over the village.

"Hmm?" she said, nestling closer to him.

"There's…something I want to ask you," he said, shifting uncomfortably.

"What is it?" Elsa asked, raising her head off his shoulder to look at him.

"Remember when we first met?" he asked, smiling.

"Yes," said Elsa slowly. How could she forget? She had tried to refuse to see him, but Gerda had said it was very important. As it turned out, it was a good thing she had relented to see him.

"Well," Fredrik continued. "I apologize if I made you feel uncomfortable in any way. I was just trying to get in your good graces so that I could help you find your niece. After your initial shock over my…..advances, you seemed to become more comfortable around me, and I feel that that's what led to our first kiss."

Elsa remembered that first kiss. She had finally managed to relax around him and had found it easier to control her powers while with him. Since then, she hadn't had any incidents of her magical snow and ice shooting out at unexpected moments, at least, not while with him.

Fredrik took her hands in his own and looked her straight in the eyes. "Elsa," he said. "You are the most beautiful woman I've ever met. I'm not saying that because it's tradition, but because you truly are the most beautiful woman I've ever met. The past year has been the best year of my life, getting to know you better. But in the past few days, I realized that I want to get to know you even more."

He took his hands out of hers and slowly reached for his pocket, pulling out a small black box. Elsa gasped, and put her hands over her mouth.

"Elsa," he said, opening the box to reveal the beautiful ring he had picked out, "my beautiful Snow Queen, I love you, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?"

There was a few seconds of silence. Elsa's eyes filled with tears, and Fredrik panicked, thinking she was about to say no. She slowly lowered her hands and looked at him, the tears still sparkling in her eyes. "Oh, Fredrik," she said, and she threw her arms around him. "I love you, too," she whispered in his ear, and the words had never been more true than in that moment. It only took her until just now to realize that she truly did love him. She broke her hug to smile at him and he smiled back. Then they shared their most tender kiss. It wasn't the answer Fredrik had been expecting, but he felt that it was the only answer he needed.

* * *

**Whew! Despite my writer's block, this chapter turned out pretty well. I hope I made Fredrik's proposal romantic enough for you, and I look forward to reading your thoughts about it. :) Again, hope you enjoyed! Another chapter coming soon! (Though probably not till sometime next week, as I'll be busy the last few days of this week.)**

**EDIT 10/9/15: To my readers: I made a few minor changes to this chapter, mostly sentence structure again, but they're hardly noticeable unless you're actually looking for them.**


	3. Engagement

**I know, I know, it's been more than a week since my last update. Usually, I'm not so neglectful with my stories. I was very busy over the weekend and I did say that I wouldn't be uploading the third chapter until this week. Thanks again for all the faves, follows, and reviews! They inspire me to write more! Anyway, hope you enjoy, and keep those reviews coming!**

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**Chapter 3: Engagement  
**

"I knew it, I just _knew_ he was going to propose!" Anna cried excitedly, bouncing up and down on Elsa's bed. The moment she had left Elsa and Fredrik alone, she'd gone to her room and waited impatiently for their return. When Fredrik had dropped Elsa off at her door sometime after ten, she had given Elsa a minute to herself before flying down the hall and bursting through the door, demanding to know every little detail about their romantic night together. Elsa had happily obliged, and when she got to the proposal, Anna had quite literally swooned.

"And then he took out this beautiful ring, and he said 'Elsa, my beautiful Snow Queen, I love you, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?'"

Anna flopped backward onto the pillows and sighed, her hands crossed over her chest. "And what did you say?" she asked, looking up at her sister.

"What do you think I said?" Elsa asked, smiling at her.

"I already know what you said," Anna answered, sitting back up and smirking. "But I want to hear you say it."

"I said yes," Elsa replied.

Anna squealed loudly with happiness.

"Anna, hush, you'll wake the whole castle," Elsa admonished.

"I don't care!" Anna cried, hopping off the bed and racing to the door. "They'll find out eventually."

"Anna, it's almost midnight," said Elsa, also standing up and gently but firmly grabbing Anna's arm before she could take another step. "They don't need to know right this second."

Anna deflated a little. "Well, can't I at least get Kristoff and tell him?" she asked meekly.

Elsa sighed, trying not to sound frustrated. Sometimes, Anna could be so stubborn. "Fine," she said. "But keep it down, please."

"I will," said Anna, before opening the door and disappearing into the dark hallway, leaving Elsa alone to relive the last few hours.

She couldn't believe that someone had fallen in love with her and asked her to marry him. But she really couldn't believe that she had also come to love him enough that she had said yes. During those thirteen years after the accident, when she was still in fear of her powers, she had wondered if anyone would love her for who she was on the inside. But now someone did, and she loved him just as much, maybe even more for seeing who she was on the inside, and looking past all her faults, which included her powers.

Shuffling footsteps announced Anna's return, with Kristoff in tow. He looked almost wide awake, but his hair was tousled from sleep. He smiled when he saw Elsa. "Anna just told me the good news," he said. "Congratulations."

"Thank you," said Elsa, smiling back.

On impulse, Kristoff stepped forward and wrapped Elsa in a friendly hug. She hugged back, surprised but pleased. But he let go rather quickly, realizing what he had done.

"I-I'm sorry," he stuttered, his cheeks turning red in embarrassment. "I didn't mean – that is—"

"It's all right, Kristoff," said Elsa, smiling again and trying not to laugh at his awkwardness. "You're part of the family now, so you're perfectly entitled to hug me whenever you want."

"Okay," said Kristoff, relaxing a little and smiling. He crossed his arms over his chest. "So, when's the big day?"

"I have yet to figure that out," Elsa replied. "With all the work I've had lately and the trade and commerce season starting up….well, let's just say it's not the ideal time to get married. It probably won't be until fall, when things start slowing down a little. Plus, there's all the preparation that goes into it: sending out invitations, creating the menu, putting up decorations. And the castle could do with a nice, thorough cleaning, too," she finished thoughtfully. "I just hope it's not as stressful as my birthday ball, though I have a feeling it will be anyway."

"Elsa, don't worry," said Anna reassuringly, taking her sister's hands in hers. "We'll be right here helping you every step of the way."

"I know," said Elsa, squeezing Anna's hands. "But I can't help being anxious about it all. What if something goes wrong?"

"Nothing will go wrong," said Anna, gently but firmly. "Kristoff and I will make absolutely sure that the best day of your life is perfect. Because you deserve it, probably more than anyone I know. Including me." And she wrapped her sister in a tight hug.

"Will you walk me down the aisle?" Elsa asked when they had broken apart. "And give me away?"

"Of course I will," said Anna, smiling. "You're my big sister. I'd do anything for you."

"Thank you," said Elsa, smiling back. "If only Mama and Papa were here. They'd be so proud of the young woman you've become."

"No, they'd be proud of you," said Anna, looking her sister straight in the eyes. "For finally being brave and strong, for accepting yourself for who you are, and for opening up your heart and letting someone in. You're the best role model I could ever have." And she wrapped Elsa in the tightest hug she had ever given.

* * *

The news of Queen Elsa's engagement to Prince Fredrik spread through the village like wildfire over the next few days. Over the past couple of years, it had been thought that the queen was unlikely ever to marry, but now that she was, there was a general stir of excitement and anticipation.

Invitations had been sent out to all the neighboring kingdoms, except for Weselton, of course. Elsa had also decided to extend an invitation to King Anders and Queen Cathrine. Though Anna was a little against Elsa inviting anyone from the Southern Isles, Elsa felt it was the polite thing to do. After all, Elsa and Fredrik were marrying into each other's families, so they would be uniting their kingdoms as well. It was also to thank them for their assistance a year ago. The invitation was of course for the wedding ceremony and reception after, but also for a ball, where Elsa and Fredrik would officially announce their engagement, which would take place in about a week's time.

In the week between the proposal and the engagement ball, Elsa couldn't stop looking at the ring Fredrik had given her. It was so perfect; the ice blue diamond was the exact same shade as her eyes, and she guessed that Fredrik must have taken great care in selecting it. Of course, Anna noticed and commented on it.

"It's not going to go away, Elsa," she said, smiling at her. "As long as he loves you and you love him, it'll always be there."

"I know," said Elsa. "But it just feels so strange having it on my finger. In a good way, though. And I never thought I'd experience this. It's almost like a dream. It doesn't seem real."

"But it is real," said Anna. "And don't worry; I felt the same way with Kristoff. After what happened with Hans, I never knew anyone could love me as much as he does. And I bet you feel the same way about Fredrik, and vice versa."

Elsa didn't say anything. Now that she thought about it, she realized that Anna was right; she _did_ love him, so much, more than anything or anyone else in the world, besides Anna, of course. And she was sure Fredrik felt the same way. It was very obvious, especially now that they were engaged. When they were with other people, they would just glance at each other with loving expressions on their faces, but when they were alone, they would share kisses and whisper sweet nothings into each other's ears. Most of these kisses happened just before they retired for the night. As they weren't married yet, it would be improper for them to share a bedroom, so Fredrik would walk her back to hers and give her a long, lingering kiss before retiring to his own room for the night.

But with the wedding on the horizon and the engagement ball drawing nearer, they didn't have much time alone to themselves, which was why Elsa looked forward to their good night kisses. They were her favorite part of the day, and they relieved her stress and made her forget about everything, if only for a moment. Sometimes, she found herself wishing that the days would speed up to the day when she and Fredrik would finally become husband and wife.

But that was still a few months away, and there was so much to do. Thankfully, the most stressful part, the invitations, had been taken care of. Now the other stressful part was the cleaning of the castle before the engagement ball. The last thorough cleaning the castle had gotten had been three years ago, before her twenty-second birthday ball. But after a general inspection, it was decided that the castle didn't need as thorough a cleaning as it did back then. It had been kept in good state since then. So she decided that it was best to start concentrating on the menu. She wasn't panning a full-blown feast or dinner, but instead some hors d'oeuvres and drinks, like wine, champagne, and punch.

The day before the ball saw Elsa, Fredrik, Anna, and Kristoff greeting and welcoming the foreign dignitaries that would be staying in the castle from now up until the wedding. As it happened, Elsa had been working longer hours and getting more work done, so the wedding had been moved up to the end of the summer, giving the royal family just two more months to prepare everything. The dignitaries thanked them for the invitations and for allowing them to stay in the castle, and congratulated Elsa and Fredrik on their engagement. Elsa directed them inside and had Kai show them to their rooms.

The next day, Elsa was a bundle of nerves. In just under an hour, she would be making the most important announcement of her life, and she didn't want to mess it up. She kept wringing her hands and twisting her fingers. Not wanting to accidentally hurt someone if she let loose some of her powers, she had shut herself away in the library, where she had spent many a day during her self-imposed isolation. As anxious as she was, only a very thin layer of frost covered the doors and part of the wall. She kept pacing the same path, back and forth, back and forth, in front of the fireplace, above which hung a portrait of her father on his coronation day, looking austere and almost foreboding.

"Am I ready for this, Papa?" she asked the portrait. "Am I ready to devote my whole life to this man? To pledge my eternal love to him? Because I love him, I really do love him. That should be enough, shouldn't it? I mean, it was enough for you and Mama, wasn't it?"

There was no answer, but Elsa hadn't expected one. She had once asked Anna what it had been to talk to Joan: what she had said, what she imagined Joan said back to her. She tried to think of what her father might say in this situation, but she couldn't think of anything. How had Anna done it? It had seemed so easy when she had mentioned her conversations with Joan.

A soft knock on the door startled her out of her reverie. "Elsa?" said a male's voice. "Are you in there?" It was Fredrik. Apparently, Anna had told him where she was. She walked over to the door and opened it and there was Fredrik, just as handsome, but with a look of worry on his face. His next comment confirmed his expression.

"Are you okay?" he asked. "You've been gone for so long I was beginning to get worried."

"I'm okay," said Elsa, trying to smile at him, but not really succeeding. "How did you know I was up here?"

"Anna told me," Fredrik answered. "She figured that of all the rooms in the castle, you'd most likely pick this one to be alone in."

Elsa shook her head. Anna knew her too well.

"Is everything okay?" Fredrik asked again, taking her hands in his and stroking the backs with his thumbs.

"I don't know," said Elsa, looking down at their intertwined fingers. "I guess I'm just worried."

"About what?" Fredrik asked quietly.

"About everything," Elsa answered, just as quietly. "The ball, the wedding, our life together."

"Why are you worried?" Fredrik asked, putting his arms around her and drawing her close.

"I don't know," Elsa answered, her voice a bit muffled against his shoulder.

"Well, shall we dance while you think about it?" he asked, his voice holding a hint of playfulness.

"I don't dance," said Elsa, looking up at him.

"I'll teach you."

"There's no music."

"We don't need any." And he started swaying slowly from side to side, singing softly. Elsa didn't recognize the song, but it didn't matter. His soothing voice was just enough to ease her worries and make her relax. On one of their circuits, she glanced at the door and saw there was no longer any frost. She smiled and nuzzled deeper into Fredrik's shoulder.

There was another knock on the door and it opened to reveal Kai. He cleared his throat and Elsa and Fredrik broke their embrace, but still held each other's hands.

"It's nearly time, Your Majesty," he said, bowing. "You'd best get ready."

"Thank you, Kai," said Elsa, inclining her head. Kai bowed again and left them alone once more.

She turned back to Fredrik. "I have to go," she whispered.

"Okay," he whispered back. "I'll walk you out."

They walked slowly out into the hallway, still holding hands. "I'll see you in a bit," Fredrik said, and he placed a brief but tender kiss on her lips. As they started walking away from each other, they extended their arms and kept them there until their fingers were no longer touching. Then they turned and went their separate ways.

* * *

Elsa was in her room, helping Anna get ready for the ball. Anna should have been the one helping her, but Elsa said that if she helped Anna this one last time, then she'd promise to let Anna help her on her wedding day. Anna agreed. She had changed into a formal, long-sleeved, floor-length lavender gown, and had kept her hair in its usual braid. Anna looked just as pretty in a floor-length gown of a pinkish-purple color. She had left her hair down again; it fell in soft waves past her shoulders. Elsa was currently helping her with her makeup, lightly powdering her face with rouge and tinting her lips a dark pink, a tedious task made even more so by Anna's almost constant fidgeting.

"Anna, will you sit still for just five more minutes, please?" Elsa asked, starting to get impatient. She took a damp cloth and wiped the lipstick smudge off her sister's cheek. She had been almost finished when Anna had abruptly jerked her head.

"I can't help myself!" said Anna, almost bouncing up and down on her vanity stool. "I'm just – too excited!"

"I know you are, Anna. I am, too, but that's no reason to go bouncing off the walls," Elsa said. She finished Anna's lips and stood back to admire her work. "There, you're finished. Finally."

Anna jumped up and ran over to the full-length mirror that stood in one corner of the room to admire herself from every angle. "Oh, Elsa, the makeup is absolutely beautiful," she said in awe. "How do you get it so perfect?" She turned back to her sister, who was still standing by Anna's vanity table.

"Practice," she said simply. "Now come on, we're late. Everyone's waiting."

"Hey, you're the queen," said Anna, smiling and following her sister out the door. "They can't start the party without you."

Elsa smiled back. "Anna—" But she was interrupted by a little voice crying, "Mama! Mama!" The both turned to see little Kirsten running towards them, barefoot and dressed in a pink nightgown.

"Hello, my darling," said Anna, smiling and picking her up. "Where's Gerda?"

"Right here," a voice puffed. "She just can't walk as fast as a one-year-old." Gerda had come around the corner, panting and trying to catch her breath.

"Gerda, it's almost eight," said Anna, looking curiously at the older woman. "She should be in bed."

"I'm sorry, Your Highness, but the little one wanted one last good night kiss from her mama and auntie," said Gerda, smiling at Kirsten.

"Well, okay," said Anna, smiling down at her daughter. "Give Mama a kiss." Kirsten puckered up her lips and planted a big, wet kiss on her cheek. "Now give Auntie Elsa a kiss." Kirsten did the same thing to Elsa and Anna handed her back to Gerda. "Thank you, Gerda," she said. "We'll be back to check on her later."

"Yes, Your Highness," said Gerda, before carrying Kirsten back to the nursery.

"Okay, now we're really late," said Anna, and she grabbed Elsa's hand and started pulling her down the hall.

"Since when did you care about being late?" Elsa asked, laughing as she followed Anna downstairs and to the door that led into the ballroom. Fredrik and Kristoff were waiting just outside. They walked over to their respective partners. Fredrik took Elsa's hand.

"I missed you," he said, smiling.

"Fredrik, we've only been separated for half an hour," said Elsa, laughing. "That's hardly enough time to miss me."

"I'll miss every moment without you until the day we're married," said Fredrik in mock seriousness, and he planted a light kiss on her forehead.

"You girls ready?" Kristoff asked, smiling.

"As we'll ever be," said Anna, smiling back and taking his arm. Elsa and Fredrik did the same and they all faced the door, with Kristoff and Anna in front. Elsa gave a nod to the guard standing outside, who nodded back and opened the door. They heard Kai's voice on the other side announcing them.

"Presenting Her Royal Highness Princess Anna of Arendelle, and her husband, Sir Kristoff Bjorgman of Arendelle."

Anna and Kristoff walked in to a multitude of applause, smiling and nodding at everyone as they took their places on the platform next to the throne. There was a pause, then Kai announced Elsa and Fredrik.

Presenting Her Royal Majesty Queen Elsa of Arendelle, and her new fiancé Prince Fredrik of the Southern Isles."

The applause that greeted Elsa and Fredrik was much louder than the applause for Anna and Kristoff, perhaps because they were excited and thrilled that their queen was finally getting married. Elsa and Fredrik walked sedately to the platform, acknowledging everyone present. Elsa then held up her hands and the room quieted down.

"Thank you all for coming," she said in her queenly voice. "I am very happy to share this special event with you. But for tonight, all I ask is that you please enjoy yourselves."

Everyone applauded again and the band started up. Kristoff turned to Anna, bowed, and offered his hand. "Shall we?" he asked, smiling. Anna smiled back, took his hand, and followed him onto the dance floor.

Fredrik turned to Elsa and bowed. "May I have this dance?" he asked in a very formal tone.

Elsa covered her heart with her hands and smiled. "Why sir, I'm flattered," she said. "But I'm sorry, I don't dance."

"Well, I'm sorry to hear that," said Fredrik, standing up and smiling back at her. "But you're in luck. I happen to know someone who is a very good dancer."

"Really?" Elsa asked, pretending to be surprised. "Who might this someone be?"

"Well, why don't I show you?" Fredrik asked, and he took her hand and led her out onto the dance floor. He took her right hand in his left and put her left hand on his shoulder while he put his right hand on her waist. He then started guiding her around the floor. She stumbled a few times, but soon got the hang of it and felt comfortable enough to rest her head against his chest. She caught a glimpse of Anna dancing with Kristoff across the room. Anna smiled at her and she smiled back.

Fredrik noticed the exchange between the sisters. "What are you smiling about?" he asked, also smiling.

"I don't know, I'm just happy, I guess," Elsa answered, her head still resting on his shoulder.

"Does this happiness have anything to do with us?" he asked.

"No," said Elsa, looking up at him and smiling. "It has everything to do with us."

Fredrik chuckled and leaned down to kiss her. Elsa kissed him back, leaning in closer and putting her arms around his neck. _Yes,_ she thought. _This is exactly where I belong._

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**Whew! That was a long one! Okay, so here's my plan for this story. Chapter one, as you know, was the continuation of Elsa and Fredrik's courtship and chapter two was the proposal. I originally intended this chapter to be their period of engagement and wedding prep, but it turned out to be quite a bit longer than I had planned. I figured that since Elsa's engagement would be a bigger deal than Anna and Kristoff's, she would have a special ball in honor of that. So, the next chapter will start two months before their wedding and will end with them finally getting married.  
**

**If all goes well, this story will have seven chapters. Chapter 5 will take place a month or two after the wedding, with Elsa finding out she's expecting her first child; chapter 6 will take place about halfway through her pregnancy, when she starts talking about her plans, hopes, and fears about her first child; and chapter 7 will be about the birth of her first child. I may decide to write it more from the guys' points of view, but I'm not sure yet. I'll figure it out.**

**Again, hope you enjoyed! Another chapter coming soon!**

**EDIT 10/9/15: To my readers: I changed just a few things in this chapter, mostly minor grammatical errors.**


	4. A Royal Wedding

**Hey guys! Once again, I apologize for the late update, but I'm sure you know how it is when work gets in the way of writing. :) Also, this chapter was giving me a bit of writer's block. But finally, here it is! The wedding of Elsa and Fredrik! I apologize for the length, but I hope you enjoy it anyway, and keep those reviews coming! They meant the world to me!**

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**Chapter 4: A Royal Wedding**

The last two months before Elsa and Fredrik's wedding passed in a flurry of activity. Despite Anna's constant reassurances, Elsa couldn't help worrying that something would go wrong. Her nerves were stretched almost to the breaking point and she was afraid she would lose control. Fortunately, the most stressful part, the invitations, had been taken care of, and the dignitaries and honored guests were now staying in the castle and various inns around Arendelle. The next stressful part was the menu. Anna suggested that since this would be a very special wedding, they should have some very special food. But Elsa wanted to keep things simple, so it was decided that they would have her favorite meal: French onion soup, roast lamb, and homemade ice cream, in addition to the cake, of course. As Fredrik knew that was Elsa's favorite meal, and also because she was the queen, he didn't protest. In fact, it was turning into one of his favorite meals, as well.

They had also agreed on having only one attendant each. Anna, of course, would be Elsa's matron of honor and would walk her down the aisle and give her away. Fredrik had asked Kristoff to stand up for him as best man, to which Kristoff happily agreed. Though she was a bit young yet, Elsa had asked Anna if Kirsten could be the flower girl. Anna immediately said yes, there was no one better.

The next item on the list was decorations: what kind of decorations, where to put decorations, and how much to put up. As it was summer, Anna suggested that they use fresh flowers, to which Elsa agreed. When Anna asked her what kind of flowers she would like, Elsa said, without hesitation, white anemones to decorate the chapel where the ceremony was to take place, and requested blue and white anemones for her bouquet. Anemones were small flowers that bloom in late spring or early summer and resemble poppies. Anna remembered seeing some at the florist's cart on one of her many excursions into the village and thought they were absolutely beautiful; not showy or flashy, and just the kind that Elsa would like.

So she went into town to the florist's shop to order some, to be delivered the day before the wedding. As they would, of course, be using real flowers, they would have to be as fresh as possible. After getting over the initial shock that the princess and queen wanted flowers from her shop, the florist agreed, saying that she would find the best ones Arendelle had to offer. She then asked if their highnesses wanted them arranged in any special way. Anna said no thank you, that they would do that themselves, and the florist said that she would have the flowers ready the afternoon before the wedding. Anna thanked her and left.

The week leading up to the wedding was the most stressful that Elsa had ever endured. Fortunately, Anna, Kristoff, and Fredrik were right there with her, helping her every step of the way. So far, Fredrik had agreed with most every decision that Elsa had made. The one thing they couldn't agree on, though, was how to do the wedding vows. Elsa wanted more traditional vows whereas Fredrik wanted to write their own, to make it more personal. What started out as a calm disagreement soon turned into a loud shouting match, with Elsa yelling that that was how her parents and grandparents had done it and she didn't want to break the tradition, and Fredrik shouting back that it was time to start a new tradition and what was so wrong with that? This caused Elsa to really lose her temper and she stormed away, locking herself in her room and refusing to come out for hours. Feeling helpless, Fredrik sought out Kristoff for some advice on how to settle the matter. He found him outside in the stables, filling Sven's stall with fresh hay.

He cleared his throat awkwardly and said, "Hey."

Kristoff looked up from his work and smiled upon seeing his friend. "Hey," he said back, sticking the pitchfork he was holding into a stack of hay next to him and brushing off his hands. "How are the wedding plans coming?"

"That's actually what I wanted to talk to you about," said Fredrik, but then paused, thinking how best to put his next thought. He decided to just come right out and say it. "Elsa and I had a fight."

"Yeah, I heard," said Kristoff, crossing his arms over his chest. When Fredrik looked at him in surprise, he clarified. "Anna told me. She heard you shouting and knew something was wrong, so she came and alerted me. When Elsa ignored Anna's summons, she figured she should just give her some space until this whole thing blew over." He shook his head and smiled. "She can be so smart when she wants to be. So, what was the fight about?"

"How to do the vows," Fredrik answered. "Elsa wants to use more traditional vows that her parents and grandparents used, and I want to write our own vows. She then said that she didn't want to break tradition and I asked her what was wrong with starting new traditions. That was what really got her upset."

Kristoff was silent for a moment. He appeared to be in deep thought.

"So, how should we go about settling this….issue?" Fredrik asked, nervously switching from one foot to the other.

"Hmm," said Kristoff thoughtfully. "I think the best solution would be to compromise. One of you goes along with the other this time around, and then switch it around for the next time."

Fredrik just stared at Kristoff, speechless. How could he not have thought of that himself? It was so simple, and so obvious. That was the perfect solution. So for this time, seeing as Elsa was, after all, queen, he decided to let her have her way and do the traditional vows. And now that he thought about it, keeping tradition didn't sound so bad after all.

"Thanks, Kristoff," Fredrik said, taking his friend's hand and firmly shaking it. "I think I finally figured out a solution."

"Anytime, my friend," said Kristoff, smiling. "Anytime."

Fredrik smiled back before racing back to the castle, sprinting up stairs and down hallways until he came to Elsa's blue-patterned door. He paused to catch his breath, then raised his hand to knock. But he stopped when he heard voices. It sounded like Elsa had let Anna in. They were probably talking about the fight. He didn't want to disturb them, but it was important that he talked to Elsa. He knocked softly and waited for someone to answer. The voices immediately ceased and there was nothing but silence.

"Elsa?" Fredrik called softly through the door. "It's me. Can I come in?"

"I don't want to talk to you," said Elsa in a constricted voice.

"Please?" he said. "It's very important."

Silence again, and then Fredrik heard the sound of feet shuffling across the room and a click as the door opened. Anna stood there. She was wearing a green dress and her feet were bare. She smiled when she saw who it was.

"Hi," she said.

"Hi," Fredrik said back. "Could we have a minute, please?"

"Sure," she said, and she opened the door wider to let him in. He saw Elsa sitting on her bed, facing away from him. Anna walked over to her and whispered in her ear. "Go easy on him, he feels terrible." She gave her hand a quick squeeze and made her way to the door. "She's all yours," she said to Fredrik, smiling at him before walking out the door and closing it behind her, leaving them alone.

There was an awkward, tense silence, in which Elsa still refused to look at Fredrik. He cleared his throat and said, "Can we talk about this?"

"What is there to talk about?" she asked, her voice thick. She stood up and walked over to the window, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Why don't you look at me and I'll tell you?" he asked, smiling.

Elsa sighed and finally turned around, looking him dead in the eyes.

"There's that beautiful face I love so much," Fredrik said, smiling wider and stepping closer to her.

Her mouth twitched and she tried not to smile. She didn't exactly look beautiful at the moment. Her hair was disheveled, she had tear tracks on her face, and her eyes were red and puffy from crying. But the longer she looked at him, the harder it was to contain her smile. His own wide smile and those gorgeous green eyes of his always did her in. Finally, her lips cracked into a smile.

"Now, that's better," said Fredrik, and he took her hands and sat down with her on the bed.

"I'm sorry," she said, looking down at their intertwined fingers.

"No, I'm the one who should be sorry," said Fredrik, squeezing her hands. "I know how stressed out you've been lately and I shouldn't have pushed you."

"I guess we can break tradition and do the vows your way," said Elsa, looking up at him and smiling.

"On second thought, why break tradition at all?" said Fredrik, also smiling. "Why don't we start a tradition of not breaking tradition?"

Elsa laughed. "I guess I can live with that," she said.

"You'll have no choice," said Fredrik in a teasing voice. "In less than a week, you'll be stuck with me for the rest of your life."

"Well, at least I'll be stuck with a handsome devil like you," said Elsa, teasing him back. "And I promise, next time we're planning an event, we can do it your way. Deal?"

"Deal," said Fredrik, and he leaned in and kissed her tenderly. Elsa returned it, and Fredrik gently pushed her back onto the bed and deepened the kiss. He trailed kisses down her neck before bringing his mouth back to hers.

"You know," said Elsa, smiling against his lips. "We should fight more often."

"Why's that?" Fredrik asked, smirking.

"Because we have a great time making up," she whispered.

Fredrik smiled and kissed her again.

* * *

The next evening saw Anna and Elsa in the library arranging the flowers that the florist had delivered just a few hours ago. As it turned out, Anna was really talented at arranging flowers. She was currently weaving them into an intricate design. Kirsten was also "helping", but her idea of helping was just strewing petals all over the floor. Luckily, though, these petals came from the few flowers that were a bit wilted when they arrived. But the women didn't complain; even the best florists sometimes overlooked wilted and droopy flowers. Every time Kirsten threw a handful of petals in the air, she burst into a fit of giggles.

"Are you excited about tomorrow?" Anna asked, scooping up another handful of flowers while also keeping a close eye on Kirsten.

"I don't know," said Elsa, absentmindedly twirling a flower stem between her fingers. "I mean, I've dreamed about this day ever since I was a little girl, but now that it's almost here…." She trailed off and looked at Kirsten, who was still playing with the flower petals. But she wasn't really seeing her.

"Elsa?" Anna said, placing a hand on her arm. "You're not getting cold feet, are you?"

"No, it's not that," Elsa replied. "It's just – this past year has felt like a dream. I never thought I would find someone who loves me so much. I always thought I would be alone."

"But you're not alone," said Anna, taking her sister's hands. "And you'll never be alone. You've found someone you love and who loves you. You may not have noticed, but you have four people who love you very much." She smiled, and Elsa smiled back.

But before Elsa could say anything back, they heard a thump and a wail as Kirsten started crying. They turned around and saw her sitting on the floor, her face scrunched up and howling. It seemed she had slipped on one of the many flower petals littering the floor, lost her balance, and toppled over. Anna quickly set aside the flower arrangement she had been working on, ran over to her daughter, and scooped her up.

"Aw, what's the matter, my little angel? Did you fall?" Anna asked, rocking her back and forth. It didn't seem to be working, though. Kirsten wailed louder. "I think it's time for bed," she said, looking at the clock on the mantle of the fireplace across the room. It was almost nine. "Yes, you should have been in bed an hour ago. Elsa, I'm going to put her down and if you don't mind, I think I'm going to call it an early night."

"That's fine," said Elsa, waving her hand in dismissal. "We're going to have a long day tomorrow, anyway."

"Okay," said Anna, on her way out the door with Kirsten. "I'll see you bright and early tomorrow morning to help you get ready." She smiled before disappearing into the dark hallway.

Elsa sighed and got up, gathering the remaining flowers. She herself felt too tired to finish so she decided she would give them to Gerda in the morning.

She went back to her room and started getting ready for bed. She changed out of her day dress and slipped on her icy blue nightgown. She undid her hair, brushed it out, and then rebraided it. Then she got into bed, laid on her back, and stared at the ceiling.

She couldn't believe that in less than twenty-four hours, she would be married to the most perfect, most handsome man she ever knew. Was she ready for this? There would be no going back after her "I do's". She decided that yes, she was ready. Ready to start a new life with the man she loved, ready to open new doors and let it go, and ready for whatever the future may bring.

* * *

The next morning dawned bright, warm, and pleasant, perfect weather for a wedding. All over Arendelle, there was a general stir of excitement. In just a few short hours, their beloved queen would finally be married. The excitement today was even greater than it was the day of Queen Elsa's twenty-second birthday, and those who were honored to be invited waited impatiently for the chapel doors to open so they could take their seats. But the excitement outside in the village was nothing compared to the excitement inside the castle.

Elsa was up and getting ready for her big day. Though she had retired early the night before, she had still had trouble sleeping and had woken up shortly after dawn. She was sitting at her vanity table, still in her nightgown and robe, trying to calm herself for the day ahead. She heard a familiar rhythmic knock on her door before it opened, revealing Anna, who was wearing a beautiful dress of deep indigo. Her hair was mostly down again, but curled into thick, bouncy sausage curls.

"Hi Elsa!" she said in that high-pitched voice she always used whenever she was excited about something. "Today's a big day! It's your wedding day!" She started twirling around the room, too excited to contain herself.

Elsa couldn't help laughing at her sister's excitement. "Yes, Anna, it's my wedding day," she said, smiling. "Now will you please settle down? You're making me dizzy."

Anna stopped her twirling and sat down on Elsa's bed. "Sorry," she said, smiling. "But aren't you excited?"

"Yes, Anna, I am," said Elsa. "But I can control myself."

"Well, you are good at that," said Anna, shrugging. "Now, why aren't you ready? The ceremony starts at three, and it's almost noon."

"Anna, don't you remember what you said to me the night of Fredrik's and my engagement party?" Elsa asked standing up and smiling. "They can't start without me. And besides, you know it only takes me five minutes to get ready now."

"Oh, yeah, that's right. I forgot," Anna said. "Well, can I watch you work your magic on yourself?" She looked expectantly at her sister.

"If you insist," said Elsa, and she twirled her fingers at her nightgown, starting from the hem and working her way up, like she did with her snow queen dress. As she got higher, she stretched her arms out to let the sleeves take shape. When she was finished, she looked at Anna. "What do you think?" she asked.

Anna was speechless. Elsa was now wearing a form-fitting, floor-length dress with long, off-the-shoulder tapered sleeves, a crystallized bodice, and a sheer train made entirely of snowflakes. It looked much like her snow queen dress, except that it had no slit and was ice white instead of blue. She had added a choker made of ice white diamonds and woven ice crystals throughout her braid, making it look more elegant. She had also put makeup on: blue eye shadow that complimented her eyes, a tint of rouge on her cheeks, and dark pink lipstick. She had never looked more beautiful.

"Whoa, Elsa, you look…..beautiful," Anna said, taking it all in.

"Thank you," said Elsa, smiling. "I'm still amazed at what I can do."

Before either could say anything else, there was another knock on the door. Being Elsa's attendant, Anna was the one who answered it. "Who is it?" she called.

"It's me," said Fredrik's voice. "You know, your soon-to-be brother-in-law." Anna noticed the hint of a smile.

"Fredrik, you're not supposed to be here!" she admonished. "It's tradition not to see the bride before the wedding."

"I know that, I just want to tell her something," Fredrik said. "I won't peek, I promise."

There was a moment of silence as Anna looked back at Elsa. She smiled and nodded. Anna turned back to the door. "Okay, here she is," she said, and she stepped back a respectful distance.

"What is it?" Elsa asked through the keyhole.

"I just wanted to say how much I love you and that I can't wait to marry you," said Fredrik, also speaking through the keyhole.

"I love you, too, and I can't wait to marry you, either," Elsa whispered. Then her tone got more playful. "Now shoo, I'll see you in a little bit."

"Yes, milady," said Fredrik, also using a playful tone. Then Elsa heard footsteps and she knew that he had gone. She turned back to Anna, who was smiling.

"I told you he was perfect for you," she said.

Before Elsa could say anything back, there was yet another knock on the door. "Yes?" Elsa called this time.

"Your Majesty, the carriage is ready," came Kai's voice.

"Thank you, Kai," said Elsa. "We will be right down."

"Yes, Your Majesty," said Kai, and he, too, left.

Anna handed Elsa her bouquet and Elsa took a deep breath.

"Ready?" Anna asked, smiling.

Elsa nodded, and the two sisters walked arm in arm out the door, through the long hallway, down the stairs, and out into the courtyard where the carriage was waiting to take them to the chapel. Gerda was there with Kirsten, who was wearing a floaty pink dress and a matching bonnet. She handed her to Anna and the coachman helped them up, Anna making sure Elsa's train was all the way in before the door was shut and the carriage started making its way to the chapel.

It was a lucky thing that they set out as early as they did, as it seemed to take forever for the two carriages to reach the chapel where the ceremony was to be held. Eventually, they had to slow to a crawl. The streets were thronged with people, all wanting a glimpse of the bride. They stopped many times, as many more people wanted to wish the queen well.

Finally, after almost two hours, the carriage came to a halt outside the chapel. The coachman opened the door and helped them down, first Elsa, being the bride, and then Anna, who was still carrying Kirsten. They made their way through the crowd and into the chapel, where it was much quieter.

"Well, here we are," said Anna in a cheerful voice. "How are you feeling?"

"A bit nervous," said Elsa.

"It's natural to be nervous," said Anna, laying a hand on her sister's arm. "But just think; in a little more than an hour, you'll be married to a wonderful man."

"Thank you, Anna," said Elsa, giving her, and Kirsten, a hug. "I'm so glad to share this with you. Whatever would I do without you?"

"You would be completely lost," said Anna, and they laughed.

Just then, the bishop's assistant came up to them. "It's time," he said, bowing. "Are you ready, Your Majesty?"

Elsa straightened and took a deep breath. "Yes," she said, though a bit shakily.

The assistant nodded and gave a signal to the organist, who started playing a slow wedding march. Elsa clutched tightly to Anna's arm as they slowly started making their way down the aisle. Staring straight ahead, Elsa saw Fredrik and Kristoff on one side of the altar, both of them grinning from ear to ear. They were both wearing dark suits; Fredrik's had icy blue trim and Kristoff's had indigo trim to match Anna's dress.

Soon, they had reached the altar, and the bishop said, "Who gives this woman to be married to this man?"

"I do," Anna replied.

Fredrik held out a gloved hand for Elsa. She looked back at her sister and the two exchanged smiles before Elsa took Fredrik's hand and let her arm slip out of Anna's. They stopped in front of the bishop, who then began the ceremony.

"Dearly beloved," he said in a clear, ringing voice. "We are gathered here today in the sight of God and these witnesses to join together this man and this woman in holy matrimony. Love is a force, a force that's both powerful and strange. It can melt even the most frozen of hearts."

He continued on in this vein for some time, in which Elsa and Fredrik held hands, exchanging smiles and whispering "I love you"s. Then the bishop said, "If anyone here has any reason as to why these two should not be joined together, speak now or forever hold your peace."

There was moment of silence where no one spoke. Even Kirsten, who was still in her mother's arms, was quiet, seeming to sense how important this was.

"Very well," said the bishop. "Let us proceed."

He continued his speech, said a prayer over the soon-to-be-married couple, and then it was time for the vows.

"Fredrik Aleksander Elijah Westergaard, do you take Elsa Maria Lucia Agðarsdotter to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, for as long as you both shall live?"

"I do," said Fredrik, smiling down at her. She smiled back.

"And do you, Elsa Maria Lucia Agðarsdotter, take Fredrik Aleksander Elijah Westergaard to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, for as long as you both shall live?"

"I do," said Elsa, looking Fredrik straight in the eyes.

"May I have the rings, please?" the bishop asked.

Kristoff stepped forward, holding the rings in his palm while the bishop blessed them. He then gave one to Fredrik and one to Elsa.

"Prince Fredrik, repeat after me," the bishop said. "'Elsa, please take this ring as a sign of my everlasting love and loyalty.'"

Fredrik started slipping the silver band onto Elsa's finger. "Elsa, please take this ring as a sign of my everlasting love and loyalty."

"Queen Elsa, repeat after me," the bishop said to her. "'Fredrik, please take this ring as a sign of my everlasting love and loyalty.'"

Elsa slipped another silver band onto Fredrik's finger. "Fredrik, please take this ring as a sign of my everlasting love and loyalty." They then gazed lovingly into each other's eyes.

"And so, by the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife," the bishop said. "You may kiss the bride."

Fredrik took Elsa's face in his hands and kissed her passionately. She kissed back, putting her arms around his neck while he put his around her waist. After about a minute, they broke apart to face the crowd, who was on their feet and cheering.

"Ladies and gentlemen," the bishop said. "I now present to you Queen Elsa of Arendelle and her new prince consort."

The crowd cheered even louder as the newlyweds started making their way back down the aisle, followed closely by their family. Anna, still holding Kirsten, promptly launched herself on Elsa and gave her a bone-breaking hug.

"I'm so happy for you!" she cried, tears of joy sparkling in her eyes.

"Me, too," said Elsa, hugging her back just as tight.

Kristoff shook Fredrik's hand and clapped him on the shoulder. "Good going, man," he said, smiling. "Take care of her, huh?"

"Will do," said Fredrik, smiling back.

Anna then came over and gave Fredrik a hug, leaving Kristoff to stare awkwardly as Elsa, who smiled and said, "Come here, you big softie."

Kristoff smiled back, walked over to her, and gave her a big hug. "Congratulations, sis," he said.

"Thank you," said Elsa, when they had broken apart. "I suppose I have you and Anna to thank for bringing us together."

"I told Anna that this will be the last time she meddles in your life," said Kristoff.

"Don't count on it," said Anna, coming back over to them. "Now come on, there's a party waiting for you."

Two carriages were waiting for them outside. Elsa and Fredrik got into the first one and Anna and Kristoff, along with Kirsten, got into the second one. The coachmen flicked the reins and they started making their way back to the castle.

* * *

The party lasted from late afternoon until well into the night. They enjoyed a delicious dinner of steaming French onion soup and roast lamb. Then Anna declared that it was time for the bride and groom's special dance, and Elsa and Fredrik got up to an encouraging round of applause. He took her in his arms and began waltzing with her around the ballroom. When the music ended, they shared a kiss, to many oohs and ahhs from the crowd.

The guests were then encouraged to join in the dancing. Anna and Elsa took turns dancing with Kirsten until she got tired and fell asleep. Anna gave her to Gerda to have her put down for the night. Then Kristoff requested a dance with the bride and Anna requested one with the groom.

When it was time for cake, Elsa and Fredrik naturally cut the first slice. Before they shared their first bite, Fredrik playfully smeared some cake all over Elsa's mouth. Everyone was surprised when she did it back. They then kissed away what was left.

It was close to midnight when everyone started saying their goodbyes and heading for home, congratulating the newlyweds one last time before leaving. Soon, it was just Elsa, Fredrik, Anna, and Kristoff left.

"Whew, that was some party," said Fredrik, sitting in a chair with Elsa curled up on his lap, resting her head on his shoulder.

"Yeah," said Anna, who was sharing another chair with Kristoff. "I love parties, but I'm glad it's over. I'm so tired." As if to prove her point, she yawned widely. "Come on, Kristoff, I think it's time we go check on our little angel." She stood up and looked at him pointedly.

"Right," said Kristoff, getting the message and also getting up. "We'll see you two lovebirds in the morning." He winked at them before Anna dragged him out of the room.

There was silence in the room now that Elsa and Fredrik were the only ones left. She was still in the same position as before, but her eyes were now closed. Fredrik noticed and decided that it was time for bed. He gently put one arm around her back and the other under her legs, so that he was cradling her. Then he stood up and carried her bridal style out of the room and up the stairs.

"Where are we going?" she mumbled sleepily, not opening her eyes.

"To bed, my love," Fredrik replied, kissing the top of her head and then carefully opening the door to the bedroom. Now that they were married, they shared Elsa's room. Fredrik carried her across the room and gently laid her on the bed. He removed her shoes and then tucked her in. He himself then removed his boots, socks, gloves, suit jacket, vest, tie, and belt, leaving his black pants and white shirt, which he untucked. He climbed under the covers next to Elsa, who proceeded to snuggle up against him and lay her head on his chest.

"Thank you for such a wonderful day," Elsa whispered.

"You're welcome, love," Fredrik replied, kissing her forehead. "I love you."

"I love you, too," she said. And she meant it; she truly meant it.

* * *

**Wow, this seriously beat my record for the longest chapter I've ever written for any of my stories! :) But yay, they're finally married! I hope you enjoyed their wedding! Again, I'm sorry this chapter is so super long, but I wanted to give their wedding justice. I haven't been to many weddings in my lifetime, so I did most of the ceremony from memory and also injected a bit of my own flair into it. :) Again, hope you enjoyed! Another chapter coming soon!**

**EDIT 10/9/15: To my readers: I made minimal changes in this chapter as well, mostly grammatical errors and a couple of time-lapse errors.**

**EDIT 1/28/16: I made a couple more minor changes in this chapter. I was skimming it last night, and I noticed that I left out a word somewhere. So that's been fixed. I also decided to give Elsa and Fredrik middle names and family names. As we don't really know what Elsa's middle name(s) would be, I just picked the ones that I thought worked well with her given name, and the same with Fredrik's. Her family name just means "daughter of ****Agðar" in Norwegian and Fredrik's family name means "son of Johan" in Norwegian.**

**EDIT 8/8/16: A recent guest review on this chapter alerted me to the fact that I accidentally changed Fredrik's last name, giving him his own family name like Elsa (in his case, Johansson). But since I made him one of Hans' older brothers, his last name would be Westergaard as well, so I switched it back.**


	5. Expecting

**Wow, has it really been only 3 days since my last chapter? I can't believe it myself! This one was actually the easiest one to write so far. Almost as soon as I started writing it, I knew exactly where I wanted to go with it. And believe it or not, I wrote most of it in just 1 day! CRAZY! As always, thanks so much for all the reviews, faves, and follows! You guys are the BEST! Anyway, hope you enjoy, and keep reviewing!**

* * *

**Chapter 5: Expecting  
**

A few months after the wedding of Queen Elsa and Prince Fredrik, things settled back down into a sense of normalcy. The citizens of Arendelle were now used to the idea of their queen being married and had gone back to their regular day-to-day activities. Now that winter was upon them, they spent most days indoors, only going outside for firewood or to pick something up at the market. Elsa had gone back to her daily queenly duties, attending meetings, discussing trade agreements, and signing papers, with some help from Anna and Fredrik, who she now spent almost every waking moment with. As he was now her prince consort, she had to show and teach him everything that came with ruling a kingdom. Of course, being a prince, he had some experience, but the big decisions were given to his parents, and then, when they died, to his brother and sister-in-law. Neither of them minded, of course. As long as they got to spend time together, they were happy. But they would always try to hide their passion until they were alone in their room.

They had started a habit of making love to each other almost every night, entwining their limbs and kissing fiercely. When it was over, they would lay in each other's arms, Elsa's head resting in the cozy spot between Fredrik's shoulder and chin, which she had found about a week after they were married. They would then whisper and laugh until they fell asleep.

Soon, Elsa's workload seemed to be taking a toll on her. She was getting more and more tired every day. She had started going to bed earlier than usual, but it didn't seem to help. Every day, she felt groggy and lethargic and didn't feel like doing anything. Also, she seemed to be gaining a little bit of weight, which she thought was unusual for her, as she had always been careful about what she ate. Something else that worried her was that she had missed her monthly cycle, which was very unusual, as it had always been fairly consistent. But what worried her most was that she had been experiencing bouts of nausea, mostly in the morning, almost every day for the past week, causing her to run to the nearest lavatory to throw up. Not knowing what else to do, she decided to talk to Anna about it. She thought she knew what was going on, but she wanted a second opinion.

She opened the door of her bedroom, to which she had returned after her most recent "spell", looked up and down the hallway to make sure no one was around, then quickly dashed down the hall and around the corner to Anna and Kristoff's room. She knocked softly.

No answer. She knocked again, but there was still no answer. Figuring they must be somewhere off with Kirsten, she started walking in the direction of the nursery. As she got closer, she heard voices and she knew that she had found them. She peeked in the door.

Yes, there they were, sitting on the floor playing with Kirsten. She was sitting in her father's lap, a pile of wooden blocks on the floor in front of them. She would stack them up like a tower, but when it got too tall, it would topple and she would burst into giggles. Anna and Kristoff laughed with her and tickled her, making her giggle even more. She smiled, watching for a moment, then she rapped her knuckles lightly on the open door.

Anna looked up and smiled when she saw who it was. "Hi, Elsa," she said, smiling. "Look Kirsten, it's your Auntie Elsa. Go say hi." She lifted Kirsten up off Kristoff's lap, stood her up, and nudged her forward. Kirsten toddled over to Elsa and hugged her leg. Elsa bent down and scooped her up into her arms.

"Hello, sunshine," she said, kissing her forehead.

"Lovoo," Kirsten babbled.

Elsa chuckled. "I love you, too," she said, giving her another kiss and putting her back down. Kirsten toddled back over to her mother and plopped down on her lap. Elsa straightened and looked at Anna. "May I talk to you, please? Alone?"

"Sure," Anna said. She handed Kirsten back to Kristoff, stood up, and followed Elsa out the door and into the hallway. Elsa led Anna back to her room and shut the door. She turned to face her sister.

"I don't know who else to talk to," Elsa began, a little hesitantly. "I'd tell Fredrik, but he took my meetings for today because I said I wasn't feeling well."

"Did you throw up again?" Anna asked.

Elsa started. Did Anna know? "Yes," she said slowly.

"Has it happened before?" Anna's face turned thoughtful.

"Yes," Elsa answered, seeming to sense what Anna was thinking.

"How long has it been going on?"

"Almost every day for the past week," said Elsa. "But I don't think it's anything serious."

Anna appeared to be lost in thought, then she said, "When was your last cycle?"

"Anna!" Elsa said, shocked at what her sister had just asked her. "That's a very personal matter."

"If this was so personal, you wouldn't be talking to me about it," said Anna matter-of-factly, crossing her arms.

Elsa was silent. She had a point. "Okay, it was a little more than a month ago."

Now it was Anna's turn to be silent, pondering what Elsa had just said. Elsa sighed exasperatedly. "Anna, I'm pregnant, okay?"

That brought Anna out of her brooding. "You are?!" she squealed, her eyes as wide as saucers.

"Yes," said Elsa, smiling at her sister's reaction. "At least, I think I am. I just wanted a second opinion before I talked to Dr. Olsen." Dr. Karl Olsen was the family doctor, and an old friend of their father's. He had been there to help through every illness the two girls had throughout their childhoods, from simple coughs and colds to raging fevers.

"Oh, I'm sure that's what it is!" Anna cried happily. "I mean, you have all the symptoms. Oh, I'm so happy for you!" She squealed again, threw her arms around Elsa, and hugged her tightly.

"Anna, please, take it easy," said Elsa, straining.

"Oh, right, sorry," said Anna and she released her. "Can I come with you to see Dr. Olsen?"

"If you insist," said Elsa, shrugging. "Though I have a feeling that you would have come anyway, no matter what I said."

"You know me too well," said Anna, smiling and looping her arm through her sister's. "Come on, let's go!"

They hurried out into the hall and down the stairs and through another hallway until they came to a halt outside a large, wooden door. Anna knocked loudly and they waited for someone to answer. After about a minute, they heard footsteps and then a click as the door was opened, revealing a tall, older man with dark hair streaked liberally with gray and spectacles on his nose.

"Princess Anna," he said in surprise, dipping his head respectfully. "Queen Elsa. To what do I owe this honor?"

Elsa looked at Anna, who nodded encouragingly. "Well, Dr. Olsen, I feel that I need a check-up."

"Are you feeling ill, Your Majesty?" he asked, removing his spectacles and looking at her with concern.

"I wouldn't say I'm ill, I just haven't been feeling myself," said Elsa, twisting her hands anxiously. "And I'm more than a month overdue for my monthly cycle. I think I know what it might be, but I wanted to get an expert's opinion, if you know what I mean."

"Of course, Your Majesty," said Dr. Olsen, nodding. "Please, come in." He stepped aside and allowed the two women to enter, shutting the door behind them.

The doctor's office/room was a small, wood-paneled room with a single window facing them. In one corner stood a small bed with a homemade quilt spread on it. There was a desk and chair facing the wall a few feet from the bed and there was an old wardrobe in the corner a few feet from that. In another corner was an examination table and washbasin, with a screen that could be pulled around it for privacy. Finally, there was a large cabinet against another wall that held various types of medicine and medical equipment.

"Your Majesty, why don't you lie down on the table over there and I'll give you a full examination," said Dr. Olsen, putting his spectacles back on and pulling on a pair of gloves.

"Okay," said Elsa, a little uncertainly.

"Don't worry, Your Majesty, it will only take a few minutes," said Dr. Olsen, smiling reassuringly. Your Highness, you can wait over there by the desk while I examine your sister."

Anna nodded and went and sat down in the hard-backed chair by the desk. She crossed her legs in a very un-princess-like fashion and started jiggling her foot while she waited.

Elsa lay down on the examination table and Dr. Olsen proceeded to gently poke and prod, mainly around her abdomen. She felt a little uncomfortable, but she knew that he knew what he was doing.

After about five minutes, Dr. Olsen finished examining her. He removed his gloves and washed his hands in the washbasin. Turning back to her, he removed his spectacles and smiled. She thought she knew what was coming. "Your Majesty," he said. "I have some very happy news for you."

Elsa sat up in surprise. "You mean – I – I really am—?"

"Yes, Your Majesty," said Dr. Olsen, still smiling. "You're pregnant. Congratulations to you and Prince Fredrik."

They heard a loud squeal and Anna came running over to give her sister a hug. "Oh, Elsa, I knew it, I just _knew_ it!" she cried happily. "You're going to be a mother!" She released her and started jumping up and down in excitement.

Elsa couldn't believe her ears. It was true. She was pregnant. She was going to be a mother. "How—how far along am I?" she asked.

"Well, seeing as your last cycle was more than a month ago, I'd say you're about five weeks along," Dr. Olsen replied.

Elsa got down off the examination table and shook Dr. Olsen's hand. "Thank you so much, Dr. Olsen," she said, looking him in the eyes and smiling.

"My pleasure, Your Majesty," he said, shaking her hand in both of his own and also smiling. "I shall be expecting you back here for regular visits. We'll need to make sure there are no problems with the baby as you go through your pregnancy."

"Absolutely," said Elsa, still shaking his hand. "And I'm sure Anna will remind me in the unlikely event that I forget." She smiled at Anna, who smiled back. "Thank you again." And they left, arm in arm again. On their way back upstairs, they ran into Kristoff, who was carrying Kirsten, who was asleep. It seemed that he had been looking for them.

"There you are," he said, smiling as they came up to him. "I was wondering where you two went."

"Elsa just needed to see Dr. Olsen," said Anna, trying not to show how excited she was, because she didn't want to reveal the surprise before Elsa.

"Is everything okay?" Kristoff asked, suddenly looking concerned.

"Everything is fine, Kristoff," said Elsa, smiling and laying a hand on his arm. "I actually have some wonderful news. I'm pregnant."

Kristoff's face lit up and he grinned widely. "Elsa, that is wonderful news!" he cried, pulling her into a one-armed hug. "Congratulations!"

"Thank you," said Elsa, stepping back and smiling up at him.

"So, does Fredrik know yet?" Kristoff asked, rocking Kirsten, who had woken up and started fussing.

For the briefest moment, Elsa's face fell. "Oh, no," she said, but then her face brightened. "But I think I may have a good way to tell him."

"Tell me what?" said a voice behind her.

Elsa turned and saw Fredrik walking towards them, a curious smile on his face.

"Hi," she said, standing up on tiptoe to kiss him.

"Hi back," he said, kissing her back.

"How was the meeting?" Elsa asked.

"Not as bad as I thought," Fredrik replied, shrugging. "I'm still not quite sure about all this, but I think I'm getting the hang of it."

"See? I told you," said Elsa, smiling and playfully nudging him.

Fredrik looked around at Kristoff and Anna, who he hadn't noticed till just now. Anna seemed to sense what he was thinking, because she cleared her throat and said, "Kristoff, I think it's time we lay Kirsten down for her nap." She stared pointedly at him.

"Right, good idea," Kristoff said, catching on. "It looks like she's fallen back asleep." He looked down at his daughter and, sure enough, she was fast asleep, her head resting on her father's shoulder and sucking her thumb. "We'll see you two later." And he winked at Fredrik, who just stared confusedly back at him.

"What's going on?" he asked, smiling at Elsa.

"I'll tell you," said Elsa, looking around the hall. "But not here; I don't want the servants overhearing. Come on." And she led him back to their room and shut the door. She turned back to him and looked up into his eyes, those green eyes that always made her go weak in the knees.

"Fredrik," she began hesitantly. "What do you think about—about children?"

Fredrik looked a little taken aback at her question. "I don't know," he said slowly. "I like children, I guess. I mean, I haven't been around many children, especially young children, except Kirsten. Unless, of course, you count my three younger brothers while they were growing up. Why do you ask?" He looked at her curiously.

Elsa closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and then opened them. It was now or never.

"Fredrik," she said, looking deep into his eyes, the eyes that she loved so much. "I'm pregnant."

There was a few seconds while Fredrik looked at her in stunned silence, Elsa worrying that he was going to be upset. But then his face broke into a wide grin, and Elsa breathed a sigh of relief.

"Elsa, that's wonderful!" he said, pulling her into a hug.

"So, you're happy?" she asked, her voice a bit muffled against his chest. "You're ready for a baby?"

"Are you kidding?" he said, pulling away and holding her face in his hands. "Nothing could make me happier!" He kissed her passionately and held her close again. "We're going to be parents," he said against her hair.

"We're going to be parents," she murmured. She couldn't believe it. How was it possible that someone like her, who had shunned human contact for thirteen years, was going to be a mother?

She tested the word out in her head. Mother. It actually sounded nice. But were they ready? Was she ready? Yes, she decided, they were. And Anna and Kristoff would be right there to help. No matter what, this baby was coming, and they would be right there to welcome it when it did.

* * *

**Eeeeek! Elsa's gonna be a mother! Do you think the baby will be a boy or girl? (I already know, but I wanna hear your input) :) I also have a name picked out, but if you wanna give me some suggestions, feel free to do so! If I like one better than the one I picked, I may use it! :) If I do decide to use it, I'll give a shoutout to that reviewer in my AN at the end of the story. Again, hope you enjoyed! Another chapter coming soon!  
**

**EDIT 10/9/15: To my readers: I made very little changes in this chapter, mostly minor grammatical errors.**


	6. Hopes and Fears

**Wow, I never expected to get another chapter out in only two days! I'm surprised myself! Although, I'm not entirely happy with how this particular chapter turned out. But I'll let you guys decide for yourselves. :) As always, thanks for all the reviews, faves, and follows! They keep me going! Anyway, hope you enjoy, and keep reviewing!**

* * *

**Chapter 6: Hopes and Fears  
**

_Four months later….._

"What about this color?"

"It's blue."

"So?"

"So, the last color you showed me was blue."

"But this is a darker shade than the last one."

Fredrik sighed. He and Elsa were sitting on their bed, trying to pick out a color for the nursery. The bed was strewn with different color swatches, most of them in varying shades of blue. Anna had offered to share Kirsten's nursery, but Elsa had declined. As much as she would've loved her baby and Anna's baby to share a room, like she and Anna did when they were little, she figured that the crown prince or princess should have his or her own room. Anna had conceded, though a little reluctantly.

"Why do you like blue so much?" he asked. He sounded a little exasperated, but then he ruined the effect by smiling.

"It's my favorite color," Elsa answered. "And I find it to be calm and peaceful. Don't you like blue?" She made a cute, pouty face up at him, and he couldn't help laughing.

"Of course, my dear, I love blue," he said, kissing the top of her head. "But what if the baby's a girl?"

"Oh, that's easy," she said, shuffling through the swatches before finding the one she was looking for, which was a light, bluish-purple shade. She held it up for Fredrik to see. "We can use this color for a girl."

"It's purple," said Fredrik, squinting at it.

"No, it's not," said Elsa. "It's a light bluish-purple. It's called 'iris'."

"Iris," Fredrik repeated, trying it out. "It's lovely. Now what about for a boy?"

Elsa shuffled through the color swatches again before pulling one out of a deep shade of blue. "How about this?" she asked, holding it up for him to see. "It's called 'Persian blue'. I first saw it in one of my history books when I was a young girl."

"It's perfect," said Fredrik, smiling again. He then looked at the clock on the mantle of the fireplace. It was almost three. "Oops. Sorry, love, but I have to get to that meeting with the dignitaries." He swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood up, straightening his clothes a bit as he did so.

"I'll come with you," said Elsa, also trying to get up. But she was now a little more than halfway through her pregnancy, and the roundness of her stomach was making it a little more difficult for her to move. "Some of those dignitaries can be a little difficult to deal with."

But Fredrik gently pushed her back down on the bed. "No, you stay here," he said, gently but firmly.

She started to protest. "But, Fredrik—"

"I said no," said Fredrik, a little more firmly than before. "The doctor says you need at least one hour of bed rest every day. I can take care of it. Don't you trust me?" He smiled.

"Of course I trust you," said Elsa. "But—"

"It's final, then," said Fredrik, still smiling. "Besides, Anna has offered to help me."

"Really?" said Elsa, unable to keep the surprise out of her voice. Anna had never willingly offered to help with her queenly duties. Fredrik noticed her puzzled expression and smiled.

"It would seem she's better at it than you thought, huh?" he said.

"Yeah," said Elsa slowly.

"Well, I should be going," he said, walking around to the other side of the bed so that he was closer to her. "I'll see you later." And he bent over. Elsa leaned up to kiss him, but he leaned down and kissed her rounded belly. "I love you," he said to their unborn baby, and he rubbed her belly.

"Fredrik!" said Elsa, laughing.

Fredrik looked up at her as if he had only just noticed she was there. "I love you, too," he said, and he gave her a long, gentle kiss. "Bye." And he started toward the door.

"Wait!" said Elsa suddenly, sitting up and placing a hand on her stomach.

"What is it?" Fredrik asked, coming back over to her with a look of concern on his face and kneeling beside the bed.

"The baby! It's moving!" said Elsa excitedly. "Feel!" And she took his hand and placed it on her stomach. Sure enough, he could feel a flutter of movement. It wasn't much, but it was there all the same.

"Wow," he said, looking up at her in awe. "That's—"

"I know," said Elsa, smiling, seeming to finish his thought for him.

Fredrik glanced back up at the clock. It was now a little after three. "Okay, now you made me late," he said, but he was smiling. He gave her a quick kiss on the forehead and stood up, heading for the door again.

"Oh, come on," said Elsa playfully. "You know you couldn't resist feeling the baby move."

She had him there. "You're right, I couldn't," he said, smiling. "But I really do have to go now. Goodbye, love."

"Bye," she said. "Have fun!" And she winked at him.

He just smiled as he walked out the door and disappeared into the hallway.

* * *

Elsa, being the good queen that she was, followed the doctor's (and Fredrik's) orders and stayed in bed resting for the next hour, looking again at all the color swatches to try to keep herself occupied. When her hour was up and Fredrik hadn't yet returned from the meeting, she decided to take a walk to stretch her legs. She hated not being able to do much of anything, but the doctor said that as she was approaching the last few months of her pregnancy, she should be getting more and more rest every day. She decided she'd take one turn around the castle and then return to her room.

She carefully got out of bed, went over to the door, and peeked out. No one was around, so she quietly sneaked out into the hall, closing the door softly behind her, and started walking down the hall to the left. She hadn't been walking for more than a few minutes when she heard crying coming from one of the rooms ahead. She hurried up to the room where she heard the crying from and peeked around the door.

It was the nursery. Kristoff was in there with Kirsten, who was crying at the top of her lungs. He was sitting in a rocking chair by the window, trying to calm her down but to no avail. Elsa knocked on the door and he looked up.

"Elsa!" he said, jumping up out of the rocking chair, still holding Kirsten, who was still crying.

"Hello, Kristoff," said Elsa, smiling. "I'm sorry if I startled you."

"No, no, you didn't," he said hastily. "I just wasn't expecting anyone. Come here, sit down." He shifted Kirsten to one hip and helped Elsa sit down in the rocking chair. "How are you?"

"I'm fine, Kristoff," said Elsa, laughing a little at his awkwardness. "I'm not going to break; I'm not made of china. Though I may look it right now."

"Well, do you need help with anything?" Kristoff asked, still trying to soothe Kirsten.

"Kristoff, I told you, I'm fine," said Elsa. She had started rocking in the chair, with her hands resting on her rounded stomach. "It sounds like you're the one who needs help. What happened?"

"I honestly have no idea," said Kristoff, trying to rock Kirsten back and forth. "One minute, she was playing happily with her toys and then I turned around and a minute later, she started wailing. I'm thinking she might have bumped her head or something. She's been crying almost constantly for at least half an hour. I've tried rocking her, walking with her around the room, but nothing's working. I don't know what else to do."

"May I try?" Elsa asked, reaching her arms out.

"Are you sure?" Kristoff asked, glancing down and then back up.

"Kristoff, it's okay," said Elsa, smiling reassuringly at him. "I'm going to be a mother in a few months, anyway, so I might as well get some practice."

"Well, okay," said Kristoff, and he handed Elsa his still-wailing daughter. She nestled her gently in her lap and started rocking. Kirsten still cried, so Elsa started singing in that soothing voice that Anna liked teasing her about.

"_Hush, my little angel,_

_Don't you cry._

_I love you,_

_Now dry your eyes._

_I know you're sad,_

_But I'm right here._

_I'll never leave._

_Rest your head now and sleep._"

Elsa looked down at Kirsten. She was still awake, but had quieted down, and was now sucking her thumb. She looked up at Kristoff and smiled at the look of awe on his face.

"Wow," he said in a hushed voice. "Where did you learn that?"

"My mother," Elsa replied, still rocking. "She used to sing it to me and Anna when we were little. I can't believe I still remember it after all these years."

"It's beautiful," said Kristoff. "Anna tries to sing her to sleep once in a while, but she takes longer with her own mother than she does with you. You two seem to share a special bond."

"I guess we do," said Elsa, looking down at her niece and smiling. Kirsten smiled back and Elsa kissed the top of her head. Then Kirsten took her thumb out of her mouth and put her little hand on Elsa's rounded stomach. She looked up at her.

"What is it, my sunshine?" Elsa asked, smiling again.

Kirsten just patted Elsa's stomach. "Ba-ba," she babbled.

"Baby?" said Elsa. "Is there a baby in there?"

Kirsten just looked at her. Elsa laughed.

She heard a sniffle and looked up. Anna was standing in the doorway. Her eyes shone with tears, but she was smiling.

"Anna," said Elsa, sitting up carefully so as not to disrupt Kirsten, or bring discomfort to herself. She gently handed Kirsten back to Kristoff and he helped her stand up.

"Oh, Elsa, that was – that was beautiful," said Anna quietly, still sniffling. "I remember when Mama used to sing that song to us." She ran over to her sister and hugged her, though it was becoming a little more difficult due to Elsa's growing roundness. "I promise I'll never make fun of your soothing voice again."

"It's okay, Anna," said Elsa soothingly. She drew in a sharp breath as Anna hugged her tighter.

"Sorry," said Anna, pulling away. "Are you okay?"

"Anna, I'm fine," said Elsa, smiling and sitting back down in the rocking chair. "It just takes some getting used to, is all."

"So, Kirsten was introducing herself to her cousin, huh?" Anna said, smiling.

"I guess she was," said Elsa, looking over at Kirsten and smiling.

"Can I?" Anna asked, looking down at Elsa's baby bump.

"What?" said Elsa, looking down and then back up at Anna.

"You know," said Anna quietly.

Then Elsa understood. "Sure, go ahead," she said.

Anna moved until she was right in front of Elsa and knelt down. She rested her hand on Elsa's rounded stomach and started talking.

"Hello, in there," she said quietly, so only Elsa could hear. "It's me, your Auntie Anna. I can't wait to meet you. Did you know you have the best mama and papa in the world? They can't wait to meet you either. Neither can your uncle and cousin. In fact, all of Arendelle is excited for you to come. They thought you never would, but you're going to prove them wrong, aren't you? You're going to have the best life. You'll have a kingdom who'll adore you, and a family who will love you like crazy. But guess what?" Anna leaned closer and whispered. "We already love you like crazy. And we'll never stop. Sure, there may be times when it'll be hard, but I want you to know right now that we'll love you no matter what. And I'm sure you'll come to love us just as much."

She stood up and looked down at Elsa, who had tears in her eyes. "Oh, Anna, thank you," she said, and she stood up, too (with a little help from Anna), and hugged her. "That's just what I wanted to hear."

"Well, I meant each and every word I said," Anna said, smiling.

There was a knock on the door, and the sisters broke apart and looked around. Fredrik was standing in the doorway with a smile on his face.

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything," he said, walking over to them.

"Oh, you're not," said Elsa, wrapping her arms around him once he was near enough. "Anna was just giving our baby a message."

"Oh, really?" said Fredrik, looking at Anna.

Anna shrugged. "Other people do it, so why can't I?"

"Oh, Fredrik, you should have heard what she said," Elsa said, looking up at him. "It was beautiful, more than what I would ever be able to say. I've never had the words to express how I felt about certain things, as I spent thirteen years of shutting myself away from the people who could teach me." Suddenly, she was quiet, and her eyes filled with tears. "Oh, my gosh. I never thought of it before."

"What is it, love?" Fredrik asked, concern in his voice.

"I'm scared," she said, so soft that he almost didn't hear it.

"Of what?" he asked, looking down at her.

"What if I pass it down to our baby?" she asked, her voice trembling. "What if he or she is born with powers, like me? I don't know what I would do."

"I'll tell you what you would do," said Anna, walking over to her sister and taking her hands in hers. "You would tell him or her that it's okay to have powers, that he or she shouldn't be afraid of them. You would tell him or her that there is nothing but beauty in them. Yes, it's a little frightening to think about, but now you know how to control it, and you can teach your child how to control it, too, something that our own parents weren't able to do. And if you remember what I said to your baby, we will love him or her no matter what. After all, you know our family motto: Love will thaw. And you proved that when you thawed Arendelle."

There was silence for a few seconds, then Elsa hugged Anna and said, "Anna, you're right. How could I be so foolish?"

"You're not being foolish," said Anna, pulling away, but still holding her sister's hands. "Every soon-to-be new parent has their own fears about their first baby. Yours just happens to be the fear of passing down your powers. Heck, I had fears of my own before Kirsten was born."

"You did?" said Elsa. "Like what?"

"Well, I was afraid that Kristoff and I were too young to have children yet," Anna answered. "I mean, when she was born, I was only twenty-one and Kristoff was only twenty-four. I was also afraid that I wouldn't know how to take care of her, not having an experienced mother around to show me how. And, of course, Kristoff had his own fears, too." She smiled at him, and he smiled back.

"No, Kristoff?" Elsa said, smirking playfully at him.

"Oh, yes," Kristoff said. "Just like Anna, I was afraid that I wouldn't make a good parent. As you know, my parents died when I was really young, so I spent most of my life with the trolls. And then once I was old enough to go out on my own, I preferred to be alone. I didn't really know what it was like to be part of a human family, until I met you and Anna. Then you showed me that it doesn't matter what kind of a family you had, as long as you loved each other. Anna certainly showed me that."

"Yes, I did," said Anna, walking over to him and kissing him on the cheek. "And aren't you glad I did?" She smiled mischievously at him.

"You bet I am," he said, and he pulled her to him, wrapping his arms around her back while she wrapped hers around his waist.

"I must be lucky, then," said Fredrik, smiling down at Elsa.

"Why's that?" she asked, smiling back.

"I married into the right family," he answered, gently squeezing her shoulders. "I have a lovely wife who loves me, a brother- and sister-in-law who love me, and a niece who I'm sure will grow to love me. What more could I ask for?"

He was right. He had Elsa, and Elsa had him. Anna and Kristoff had each other and Kirsten, and they all had each other. As long as they loved one another, then really, what more could they ask for?

* * *

**Well, like I said above, I'm not entirely happy with this chapter, but I hope you enjoyed it anyway! So there'll be one more chapter after this, which will be the birth of Elsa and Fredrik's baby. Please keep sending me name suggestions, otherwise I'll just go with the one I picked. :) Again, hope you enjoyed! Last chapter coming soon!  
**

**EDIT 10/9/15: To my readers: I made small changes to this chapter as well, which were also minor grammatical errors.**


	7. A New Princess

**Well, here it is, the final chapter! I know, you're all sad that this story's now come to an end. I am, too. I really enjoy writing for you guys. You have all been so supportive and I just can't thank you enough! Thank you so, so, SO MUCH for all the reviews, faves, and follows! You guys are amazing and I love you all! Enjoy the final chapter of "Opening New Doors"!**

* * *

**Chapter 7: A New Princess  
**

_3 ½ months later….._

Fredrik anxiously paced the hallway outside his and Elsa's room. He couldn't think straight, knowing that Elsa was behind that door in pain because of him. Elsa's pains had started shortly after midnight. She had woken him up, and he had then called for Anna, who had called for the midwife, who had in turn called for the doctor. They had then shooed him out of the room while they attended to Elsa. The midwife and, of course, Anna would mostly be coaching Elsa through the birth, but the doctor was on hand in case any complications arose.

But it was now going on four in the morning and he had heard nothing, not a wail, not a scream, not even a whimper. The silence could mean one of two things: that Elsa's most intense pains hadn't started yet, or that something was wrong. He was somewhat sure it wasn't the latter. For one thing, no one had come out of the room to tell him otherwise, and the fact that there was no ice or frost creeping under the door suggested that everything was going fine and Elsa hadn't lost control, at least not yet.

He was still nervous, though. He didn't really know how to care for a baby, not having had much experience, if any. He knew that Elsa would take care of the most important things, but there would be times when she would ask him to take care of the baby for a little while, so she could take a break and get some rest. And, of course, Anna and Kristoff would be there, too, helping whenever they could, but most of the parenting would be left to him and Elsa. Elsa had recently told him what a wonderful father he would be, but he couldn't help worrying that he would do something wrong.

But he had to admit that he was excited about the prospect of being a father. That had definitely showed in his actions the last few months: helping Elsa put the finishing touches on the nursery, looking through all the new baby clothes they received from friends and family (mostly Anna and Kristoff and his brother Anders and sister-in-law Cathrine), and picking out names for the baby. They had settled on Elina or Bella-Grace for a girl and Dominik for a boy. Elsa sincerely hoped for a girl, so that Kirsten would have a little playmate. Fredrik was also secretly hoping for a girl. He knew that the castle had an abundance of girls (Anna, Elsa, and, of course, Kirsten), but he couldn't imagine Elsa, his beautiful Elsa, having anything else. Having two beautiful girls to love and protect would make him the happiest he had ever been.

The sound of a door opening interrupted his thoughts and he spun around to see Anna coming out of his and Elsa's bedroom, carrying some towels in her arms.

"How is she?" Fredrik asked anxiously.

"She's doing well," said Anna, smiling reassuringly at him. "She's getting close, but it'll be at least another two or three hours before the baby gets here."

Fredrik started pacing again and frustratedly ran his fingers through his hair, making it stand on end. He had been waiting for four hours already. How was he supposed to endure another two or three? He turned back to Anna, who was still standing in front of the door with her armload of towels.

"What's taking so long?" Fredrik asked her, trying not to sound impatient, but not really succeeding.

"Well, childbirth in general is a long and difficult process," Anna answered, shifting the towels in her arms to get a better grip on them. "For example, when I gave birth to Kirsten a little more than two years ago, my pains started in the early morning just like Elsa's, but Kirsten didn't arrive until early afternoon."

There was a moment of silence while Fredrik just stared at her. He really hoped it wouldn't take that long for Elsa. He was really anxious, and excited, to meet his new son or daughter. Anna seemed to read his thoughts, for she shifted the towels and laid a hand on his arm.

"I know you're excited," she said, smiling at him. "I am, too. But these things take time. Tell you what; why don't I go drop these off down in the laundry room and then have Kristoff come up and wait with you? You know, for moral support? Then, at least, you won't be alone and will have someone to talk to."

"I would appreciate that, thank you," said Fredrik, smiling back.

"My pleasure," said Anna, and she leaned up to give him a friendly peck on the cheek. "I'll be right back. Don't go anywhere."

"Hey, I'm not leaving this hallway until my son or daughter is born," said Fredrik, and, as if to emphasize his point, he placed his feet firmly on the carpeting. Anna just smiled and disappeared down the hallway.

Now that Fredrik was alone again, his worries and anxieties returned, and he started pacing again. What if something went wrong? What if there were complications? What if—?

No; no more what ifs. Elsa might look small and frail, but she was also healthy and strong. She would make it; they would both make it. He was sure of it.

A few minutes later, he heard footsteps, announcing the return of Anna with Kristoff right behind her. When they reached him, Kristoff shook his hand and patted his shoulder reassuringly.

"How are you doing, my friend?" he asked, smiling.

"Okay," Fredrik replied, though he didn't really look it.

"Well, I think Fredrik is in good hands," said Anna, smiling at them. "I'll leave you two men alone. Besides, I promised Elsa I'd only be gone for a few minutes. It's been more than that, and she'll most likely be upset. Though I'm hoping it's mostly due to her raging hormones at the moment." She rolled her eyes before scurrying back in to Elsa, closing the door behind her.

Kristoff watched as Fredrik nervously started pacing again. He felt like he was back in time, and it was himself he was watching, waiting for the birth of his son or daughter. He cleared his throat to get Fredrik's attention.

"So, how are you feeling?" he asked, but this time with more seriousness.

"Nervous, anxious, excited, scared," said Fredrik, still feverishly pacing. "I'm such a mix of emotions right now, I don't know what to feel."

"Well, it's all perfectly natural what you're feeling," said Kristoff. "In fact, this is nothing compared to how I felt just before Kirsten was born."

Fredrik ceased his incessant pacing and looked at him. "How did you feel?" he asked.

"Well, to put it delicately, I was a nervous wreck," said Kristoff, laughing. "Anna had let me stay in the room at first, but when her pains grew steadily worse, I started panicking, so she kicked me out. Later, she said it was for my own good, because it looked like I was about to faint, and she didn't need an unconscious husband on top of everything else she was dealing with at the time."

"Wow," said Fredrik in awe. "I can't imagine that a big mountain man like you would be that nervous." He laughed.

"Hey! It was my first time becoming a father, too!" said Kristoff defensively, but he was also laughing. "And now that it's your turn, I'm here to support you." He clapped Fredrik on the shoulder.

"And I wholeheartedly appreciate it," said Fredrik sincerely, doing the same to Kristoff.

"Glad to know you appreciate the sacrifice I'm making," said Kristoff jokingly. And the men settled down to continue awaiting the birth of the new royal family member.

* * *

Behind the door of Elsa and Fredrik's room, there was a flurry of activity. Elsa's pains were very close together, and it seemed she wasn't far from delivering. The midwife and her two assistants were bustling around getting things ready: warming water for the baby's first bath and laying out clean blankets.

Anna was sitting right next to Elsa, not having left her side except for those few moments when she had taken the dirty towels down to the laundry room. Her hand hurt from Elsa squeezing it so hard during her last few contractions, but there was nowhere else she would rather be.

"You're doing well, Elsa," she said soothingly, wiping her sister's forehead with a cool, damp cloth. "It won't be long now."

"I hope so, it's been so long already," Elsa moaned, and then she tensed as another contraction tore through her body. When it was over, she collapsed into the pillows, panting. "Anna, thank you so much for being here. I don't know what I would have done without you."

"Elsa, you were there for the birth of my baby, and now I'm here for the birth of your baby. I'm not going anywhere until your son or daughter gets here." She leaned forward and gently kissed her sister's forehead.

The midwife, an older, matronly woman, came over to check Elsa's progress. "It looks like we're just about ready," she said, checking between Elsa's legs. "Yes." She grabbed a stool from the corner of the room and sat down, ready for when the baby came out. "Now, on this next contraction, Your Majesty, I need you to push, okay?"

"Okay," said Elsa weakly. She looked at Anna, who smiled and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.

When the next contraction hit, Elsa held Anna's hand in a death-like grip and pushed with all her might, while the midwife called out encouragement from the other end.

"Keep going! Keep going! That's it! Good girl! Good girl! I can see the head! The head is out! Now, one more big push and this baby will be out!"

Elsa squeezed her eyes shut and screamed as she bore down hard, using the last ounce of strength she had to get the baby out. About a minute passed, then she felt a release, the pain stopped, and then she heard the most beautiful sound. The cry of a baby. _Her _baby.

"It's a girl!" the midwife shouted with joy.

Upon hearing the midwife's shout, Elsa smiled weakly and collapsed onto the pillows, exhausted. Anna brushed a few strands of hair back from her forehead. "You did really well, Elsa," she said, kissing her temple. "I'm so proud of you. And I'm so glad I got to share this moment with you."

Once the baby was cleaned, the midwife wrapped her in a fuzzy pink blanket and handed her to Elsa. She looked just like her mother, with wide blue eyes, fair skin, and a cute little nose, but with a tuft of dark brown hair, like her father's. Elsa gazed down at her daughter, completely enraptured. She couldn't believe she had created something so beautiful. In her opinion, she was the most beautiful baby in the world.

"So, we have a new little princess," said Anna softly, gently caressing her new niece's cheek. "Shall I inform Fredrik and Kristoff?"

"Sure," said Elsa, still gazing at her daughter.

"I'll be right back," said Anna, getting up from her chair and walking to the door. She opened it to find Fredrik and Kristoff sitting on the floor across the hall, conversing in low voices. She cleared her throat and they looked up. Seeing who it was, Fredrik leapt to his feet. He tried to say something, but the words got stuck in his throat.

"Is—?" he started. "Are they—?"

"Elsa's fine," said Anna, answering his unspoken question. "They're both just fine."

Fredrik breathed a sigh of relief. "Can I see them?" he asked.

"Of course," said Anna, smiling. "That's why I came out here. Come on." She gestured into the room, and Fredrik followed close behind, but then he stopped just inside the door.

There she was, sitting up in their bed, propped up against several snowy white pillows, holding a small bundle of fuzzy pink blankets. Her hair had come loose from her braid and now lay in a tangled mess past her shoulders. Her face was still shiny from sweat, but to Fredrik, she was still the most beautiful woman he had ever met. In this moment, with the late morning sun casting a soft, golden glow on her face, she looked like an angel.

Elsa looked up, saw him standing there, and smiled. "Fredrik, come meet your daughter," she said softly.

Anna gently pushed him forward and he slowly walked to the bed. Elsa laughed when she saw how cautious he was being.

"Fredrik, it's okay," she said. "Come here." She patted the bed next to her and he sat down, though very gingerly. He pulled back the blankets and peeked at his new infant daughter. She was so beautiful, even while asleep.

"Do you want to hold her?" Elsa asked, looking up at him.

"I – I don't know," Fredrik stuttered. "She looks so peaceful."

"Oh, come on," said Elsa, nudging him playfully. "I've shifted positions at least twice since she fell asleep and she didn't make a peep either time. Here." And she carefully handed him the bundle of blankets.

He gently cradled the newborn baby in his arms, staring down at her in awe. He couldn't believe it. He was the father of a beautiful baby girl. That made him think of something, and he looked up at Elsa.

"What are we naming her?" he asked softly.

"Well," said Elsa thoughtfully. "I think she looks like a Bella-Grace. What do you think?"

"Bella-Grace," said Fredrik, trying it out. "It's perfect."

Someone cleared their throat and they looked up. Kristoff had just entered the room. He was standing next to Anna, and they had both been watching the scene in front of them. Elsa smiled at him.

"You can come closer," she said. "After all, she is your niece."

Kristoff smile back at her and shuffled forward. He gave Elsa a friendly peck on the cheek. "Congratulations, sis," he said, stepping back. "She's beautiful. Just like her mother."

"Thank you, Kristoff," said Elsa, laughing a little at his awkwardness. No wonder Anna loved him so much. "Now where's Kirsten? She needs to meet her new little cousin."

"She might be sleeping yet," Anna answered. "Should I go get her?"

"Why do you think I mentioned her?" Elsa asked, smirking playfully at her sister.

"Hey, I was just making sure you were okay with it first," said Anna, smiling and putting her hands up in defense. "I'll be right back, then." And she left to go fetch Kirsten.

There was a moment of awkward silence, then Kristoff said, "What's her name?"

"Bella-Grace," Elsa answered, stroking her baby daughter's cheek. She was still sleeping peacefully in her father's arms. "Princess Bella-Grace Westergaard."

"A beautiful name befitting a beautiful girl," said Kristoff, smiling at the happy family. But then he started shifting awkwardly from foot to foot. "So, does she have – you know – powers?"

"It's too soon to tell," said Elsa, looking down at her sleeping daughter. "If she does, it might be a couple years before they start to show. My mother told me that my powers didn't start to show until I was about two or three. But whether she does or doesn't, I will love her no matter what." She leaned toward Fredrik and gently kissed her daughter's forehead.

Shuffling footsteps announced Anna's return with Kirsten. She was holding her hand while the now-two-year-old toddled next to her. She was wearing a long-sleeved autumn dress of a pretty blue that matched her eyes, and despite the cool weather, her feet were bare. Her hair was a little longer than it had been a year ago, so it was now styled into two short little ponytails at the base of her neck. She looked much like Anna had at that age. Seeing all the people, she suddenly became shy and hid behind her mother's skirts. Anna chuckled and lifted Kirsten into her arms.

"Don't you want to meet your new baby cousin?" she asked as she walked over to Elsa and Fredrik, who was still holding Bella-Grace. But Kirsten just buried her head in her shoulder.

"It's okay," said Anna, and she set Kirsten down on the edge of the bed between her aunt and uncle. Elsa leaned forward.

"Kirsten, meet your new cousin, Bella," she said, nudging her gently toward the new baby. Kirsten shied away at first, so Elsa nodded silently to Fredrik, and he brought Bella closer so Kirsten could see her better.

Soon, Kirsten got over her shyness and peeked at the new baby. She reached out a hand and gently stroked her cheek. She then looked up at Elsa, who had happy tears in her eyes from watching the interaction of her niece with her daughter. "Baby," she said.

"Yes, baby," said Elsa, smiling and wiping her eyes. "Baby Bella."

"Be-ya," said Kirsten, still not quite getting the "L"s out.

Anna came and scooped Kirsten back up into her arms. "Yes, Bella," she said. "She's your new cousin. Soon, you'll have a new little playmate. But right now, we have to help Auntie Elsa and Uncle Fredrik with Baby Bella, like being quiet when she's sleeping and not being too rough with her once she's old enough to play with you. Okay?"

"K," said Kirsten, her thumb in her mouth. Anna laughed and kissed her forehead, apparently not expecting a response.

Kristoff came up behind them, kissed Anna on the cheek, and then wrapped his arms around them. They looked down at Elsa, Fredrik, and Bella. They were a family, they had always been a family, and they always would be a family. Nothing on earth would ever change that.

* * *

**Well, here we are, the end of another story. Again, thank you SO MUCH for all your support throughout this process. It really means a lot to me.  
**

**Okay, now for a bit of background info. (1) I was originally gonna give the "Meet your daughter" line to Anna, but I felt it would be more special coming from Elsa. (2) "Westergaard" is the actual last name of Hans' family. You can look it up on the Disney Wiki if you don't believe me. (3) This chapter was originally just gonna be from the guys' points of view and wasn't gonna include any part of the birth, but then I decided to split it and include the women's points of view, as well.**

**Finally, I wanna give a shoutout to SnowQueenElsaOfArendelle101 for the beautiful name suggestion.**

**Thank you SO MUCH for reading! I really hope you enjoyed this story! I don't know when my next story will be or what it'll be about, but keep checking back for more! I love you guys SO MUCH! Until next time! :)**

**EDIT 10/9/15: To my readers: I made a few more small changes in this chapter, again mostly minor grammatical errors.**


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